Baker Faces Fed Charges

A 31-year-old Clarion County man, Joshua D. Baker, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of interstate transportation of a minor for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual activity and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

According to the indictment, on or about March 28, 2013, Baker knowingly transported across state lines a minor female known to the grand jury as A.S., who had not attained the age of 18, with the intent of engaging in sexual activity with the minor.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The indictment of Joshua D. Baker is a significant development in the ongoing efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. The case highlights the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the need for vigilance in identifying and prosecuting individuals who engage in such heinous crimes.

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