A 22-year-old Schuylkill County man admitted to coercing a 14-year-old girl into sending sexually explicit images, then threatening to leak them unless she sent more — a digital predator’s playbook known as sextortion. Josiah Ferrebee of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2019, to production and attempted production of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Ferrebee admitted to manipulating the Michigan teenager over the internet in January 2016, convincing her to take and transmit nude photos of herself. Once he had the images, he weaponized them — threatening to post the explicit material online unless she complied with escalating demands. She did. The case, prosecuted as a federal child exploitation crime, underscores the predatory tactics increasingly common in online sexual abuse of minors.
Sentencing is set for August 12, 2019, after Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley ordered a pre-sentence investigation. Ferrebee now faces up to 30 years in federal prison, a mandatory minimum of 15 years, plus supervised release and fines. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Judge Munley will weigh the severity of the crime, Ferrebee’s background, and the need for both punishment and deterrence.
The investigation was led by the Department of Homeland Security and the Pennsylvania State Police, highlighting the cross-jurisdictional reach required to combat cyber-enabled child exploitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis P. Sempa and Jenny P. Roberts are handling the prosecution, bringing the case under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood — a Justice Department initiative launched in 2006 to dismantle networks of child sexual abuse and rescue victims.
Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to target individuals who exploit children online. Since its inception, the program has prioritized cases like Ferrebee’s — where technology enables predators to isolate, manipulate, and terrorize minors across state lines. The Department of Justice urges parents and educators to access internet safety resources at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Ferrebee’s crime is a stark reminder: child predators don’t always lurk in shadows — sometimes they’re behind screens, weaponizing shame and fear. The case sends a clear message: federal authorities are watching, and they’re coming hard for those who turn the web into a hunting ground for children.
Related Federal Cases
- Child Porn Possession Lands Prisoner 10 More Years · Pennsylvania
- Mark Allen Hillis Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation · Michigan
- Christopher Paul Botimer Gets 28 Years for Child Porn Production · Michigan
- Mark Allen Hillis Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation · Michigan
- Carbon County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Production · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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