David Bolwell, Child Pornography, Pennsylvania 2025

In a disturbing case of child exploitation, a Philadelphia man has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for surreptitiously taking explicit photos and videos of a 14-year-old girl through her bedroom window.

David Bolwell, 59, was sentenced to 235 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $43,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert. The sentence was handed down on February 3, 2025, after Bolwell pleaded guilty in May 2025 to manufacturing and attempting to manufacture child pornography.

According to court filings, the 14-year-old victim reported that she was approached by an unknown man who gave her a handwritten letter with sexually explicit contents. The letter was then turned over to her mother, who contacted the Philadelphia Police Department.

Investigation by the Philadelphia police located video footage confirming the identification of Bolwell, and search warrants led to the seizure and search of his cell phone. A subsequent FBI forensic review found over 3,800 images of the child victim, including more than 400 that constituted child pornography, as well as hundreds of additional images of minor girls and over 1,200 images of child pornography taken from the internet.

Bolwell’s case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI, with Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella handling the prosecution.

The investigation revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior, with Bolwell producing hundreds of sexually explicit images of the child victim and collecting over 1,200 images and videos of children from the internet. The case highlights the importance of Project Safe Childhood and the need for continued efforts to combat child exploitation and abuse.

The case serves as a reminder of the seriousness of these crimes and the need for victims to come forward and seek help. If you or someone you know is a victim of child exploitation, there are resources available to help. You can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit

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