Erie Man Admits to Possessing Child Pornography

IAN MATTHEW AHENGER, 43, of Fairview, Pennsylvania, stood before a federal judge this week and admitted to possessing child pornography on his computer — a crime that has put him on the brink of a decade behind bars.

Ahenger pleaded guilty to one count of violating federal laws related to the sexual exploitation of children, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song confirmed today. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge David S. Cercone in Erie, Pennsylvania, where Ahenger now awaits formal sentencing.

Court records show Ahenger had digital images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct stored on his computer. The material, discovered during a targeted investigation, was enough to trigger federal charges under laws designed to prosecute those who traffic in or hoard such illicit content.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the widespread sexual exploitation of children. The program unites federal, state, and local agencies to hunt down offenders and rescue victims — and Ahenger has now become one of its latest convictions.

Judge Cercone has scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. Under federal law, Ahenger faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The final sentence will be determined by the severity of the offense and his criminal history, if any.

Ahenger remains free on bond pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting the case. The Pennsylvania State Police led the investigation that uncovered the evidence leading to Ahenger’s arrest and guilty plea.

RELATED: Texas Courier Admits Role in Cross-Country Coke Pipeline

RELATED: Social Media ‘Guru’ Admits to Running a Scam