Harrisburg, PA – Child Predator Receives 40 Year Sentence
Harrisburg, PA – In a disturbing case of child exploitation, Mason David Powell, age 30, a resident of Biglerville, PA, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison by the Honorable Christopher C. Conner.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Powell was arrested on October 17, 2015, by officers from the Cumberland Township Police Department following a concerned parent’s report that Powell was inappropriately chatting with her minor son. With consent from the parent to assume the minor’s online identity, law enforcement set up a meeting with Powell, who continued to believe he chatted with a minor.
Powell arrived at the arranged location to meet the 13-year-old he had been chatting with online and brought two other minors with him. Officers greeted Powell and took him into custody at that time. The Adams County District Attorney’s Office charged Powell with child exploitation offenses relating to a number of minors.
During the investigation, the FBI and local authorities located online messages Powell exchanged with several minors soliciting naked images of their genitals or attempting to coerce the minors to meet with Powell to engage in sex acts. Powell confessed to soliciting at least 20 minors in this manner. Law enforcement also discovered over 1,000 images of commercially downloaded child pornography of minors as young as infants on Powell’s phone.
On October 28, 2016, Powell pleaded guilty to all counts of the federal indictment and admitted to both producing and possessing images of child pornography that were found on Powell’s phone and in the online chats. In addition, Powell also pleaded guilty to attempting to coerce a minor victim to engage in sexual activity with him.
Before the Court imposed the 40-year sentence, the defense offered testimony from defense expert Dr. Frank Dattilio, a psychologist. Dr. Dattilio opined Powell is predatory, manipulative and on the high end of moderate risk to reoffend without treatment based on Powell’s abuse of numerous minors in the local Adams County community and his collection of pornographic images of prepubescent children from the internet.
Chief Judge Conner rejected the defense’s request to impose only the mandatory minimum of 15 years, stating Powell is ‘clearly a sexual predator’ and a ‘serious danger to the community’ and imposed a 40-year sentence, to be followed by lifetime supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Adams County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cumberland Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Taylor.
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.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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