The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Northampton County man entered a guilty plea today in Harrisburg before U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for attempting to entice a minor to produce child pornography.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, in January 2012, Alan Stroppa, age 45, of Bath, Pennsylvania, began communicating with an undercover United States Postal Inspector in Harrisburg who presented himself online as a 12-year-old girl. Through June 13, 2012, Stroppa regularly communicated via the internet and text messages with the “girl.” Stroppa attempted to entice the “girl” to produce a sexually explicit video and photographs of herself. Pursuant to Stroppa’s requests, the purported videos were sent through the mail to a Northampton business. On June 14, 2012, Stroppa accepted the package when delivered and was arrested shortly thereafter by federal and local law enforcement.

     The guilty plea was entered pursuant to a plea agreement.

     Sentencing has been scheduled for February 25, 2013.

     The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspectors with the assistance of the Office of Homeland Security Investigations and Northampton Police Department. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant Unites States Attorney Michael A. Consiglio.

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