A disturbing case of child exploitation has come to light in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with Michael J. Close Jr., a 53-year-old resident of the Beechview neighborhood, pleading guilty to the crime in federal court on February 6, 2025.
Close faces a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. The law will determine the actual sentence based on the seriousness of the offense and Close’s prior criminal history.
According to the court, Close purchased and received compressed and encrypted video and still image collections depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent, from an online Russian vendor on at least four occasions from May 16, 2022, through July 6, 2022. He created a cryptocurrency account and transferred payment to the vendor in bitcoin.
Close’s guilty plea was accepted by United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon, who scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The 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.
Homeland Security Investigations in Pittsburgh and Portland, Maine, conducted the investigation that led to Close’s prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Close is currently remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. The public remains vigilant in the face of such heinous crimes, and law enforcement agencies continue to work tirelessly to protect children from exploitation.
Related Federal Cases
- Michael Aaron Estrada, Child Pornography, Iowa 2022 · Alabama
- Gregory Miller, Production of Child Pornography, Oklahoma 2023 · Oklahoma
- Scott Morrill, Possession of Child Pornography, Massachusetts 2025 · Massachusetts
- Biddeford Man Faces 30 Years for Sexually Exploiting Minor · Michigan
- Vanessa Grandoit, Sex Trafficking, Massachusetts 2015 · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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