James Young Guilty

A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, James Franklin Young, 37, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of receipt and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Young pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan. The guilty plea is connected to Young’s receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors between November 14, 2018, and August 28, 2019, as well as his possession of videos and images in computer graphic files on August 28, 2019.

The production of these videos and images involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, some of whom had not yet attained 12 years of age. This is a disturbing example of the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse that Project Safe Childhood is working to combat.

Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for December 17, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years nor more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Young remains under detention pending the sentencing hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Young.

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 Attorneys’ 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, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. The initiative is a crucial step in protecting children from exploitation and abuse, and cases like James Young’s guilty plea demonstrate the importance of this work.

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