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Brownsville Man Guilty in Child Exploitation Case
A 47-year-old man from Brownsville, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges. Sean Houston, 47, admitted to producing and possessing explicit images of minors on multiple occasions.
According to the guilty plea, on May 20, 2016, and from July 22, 2017, through October 2018, Houston produced and attempted to produce visual depictions of the sexual exploitation of a minor. On October 29, 2018, he knowingly possessed visual depictions of the sexual exploitation of minors.
Houston’s crimes were uncovered through a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Centerville Police Department, the North Strabane Police Department, and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Houston faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, along with a fine of $750,000.00 or both. Judge Cathy Bissoon has scheduled Houston’s sentencing for May 11, 2020.
Houston’s guilty plea is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
The case against Houston is a stark reminder of the need for continued vigilance in protecting our children from predators like him. We must remain committed to bringing perpetrators to justice and providing support to victims and their families.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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