McConnellsburg Man Charged with Distributing Child Pornography
A 32-year-old man from McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, has been indicted on charges of distributing child pornography. Clay Aaron Rasp is accused of possessing and distributing child pornography between January 2017 and July 2017.
According to the indictment, Rasp also produced a morphed image of child pornography. The investigation was conducted by the Lower Heidelberg Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Schinnour is prosecuting the case. The indictment was unsealed and Rasp is scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab on December 21, 2017, for his initial appearance and arraignment.
Clay Aaron Rasp, 32, of McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on December 6, 2017, by a federal grand jury on charges relating to child pornography.
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. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs.
For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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