JOHNSTOWN – A resident of West Decatur pleaded guilty in federal court on March 20, to charges of production and possession of materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced Thursday.
Jon Osewalt, 30, pleaded guilty to counts two and four of the indictment before U.S. District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, in and around April 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Osewalt produced images of minors engaged in sexually-explicit conduct.
In addition, in and around December 2020, Osewalt possessed images of minors engaged in sexually-explicit conduct. Haines scheduled sentencing for July 31, 2024.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Osewalt.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nation-wide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Led by the U.S. 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.