NJ Man Hubert Young Guilty in Child Porn ‘Sextortion’ Case

Hubert Young, 46, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, is headed for a federal prison cell after pleading guilty today to producing and attempting to produce child pornography in a predatory sextortion scheme that ensnared 13 minors across four states. The announcement came from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania during a hearing before Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley in Scranton.

Young admitted to creating two fake Facebook profiles under false teenage identities, using both a cell phone and computer to manipulate underage victims into sending explicit images. Once he received the photos, he turned the screws—threatening to publish the material online unless the minors sent more. His digital blackmail spree stretched from January 2015 to June 2016, with victims located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and Indiana.

The case, a textbook example of online predatory behavior, was cracked open through collaboration between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and Pittston Police. Young’s manipulation of trust—posing as a peer in teen chat groups—allowed him to exploit vulnerable youth, twisting their private moments into leverage for further abuse.

Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa, the case falls under Project Safe Childhood, the Justice Department’s nationwide crackdown on child sexual exploitation launched in May 2006. The initiative unites federal, state, and local agencies to hunt down offenders and rescue victims—a mission that brought Young’s crimes to light after more than a year of covert predation.

Though Young now awaits sentencing on May 9, 2017, the consequences of his actions will outlast any prison term. Under federal law, the crime carries a maximum penalty of 30 years behind bars, a mandatory minimum of 15 years, a lifetime of supervised release, and steep fines. Judge Munley has ordered a pre-sentence investigation, meaning the final reckoning will weigh the full gravity of Young’s exploitation.

Federal sentencing guidelines demand more than just time served. The court must consider the nature and severity of the offenses, Young’s personal history, and the urgent need to protect the public from a man who weaponized the internet to sexually exploit children. The case stands as a grim reminder: predators lurk behind screens, but so do investigators ready to bring them down.