The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a 48-year-old West Pittston man was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo for receiving and distributing child pornography.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Andrew Scott Hutchison admitted to using a computer to download and share images of child pornography between December 2010 and February 2011.

     Hutchison was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2011, as a result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigation agents and the Pennsylvania State Police.

     In imposing sentence, Judge Caputo noted the serious nature of the crime and the fact that those who download and share images of child pornography help perpetuate a market for the sexual abuse of children. Judge Caputo also explained that a significant prison sentence will hopefully serve to deter others from committing similar crimes.

     Judge Caputo ordered Hutchison to be placed on 20 years of supervised release following his prison sentence, and to pay a $100 special assessment. Hutchison must also undergo sex offender treatment and comply with sex offender registration requirements when he is released from prison.

     U.S. Attorney Smith noted that this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

     The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.

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