SCRANTON MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO ENTICE CHILD FOR SEX, POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, AND ATTEMPTING TO TRANSFER OBSCENE MATERIAL TO A MINOR

Dennis C. Pfannenschmidt, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that a federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment charging a 41-year-old Scranton man with using the internet to attempt to persuade and entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, possessing child pornography, and using the internet to attempt to transfer obscene material to a minor.

Pfannenschmidt stated that Lewis John Davies, Jr., was charged by the grand jury for allegedly committing the offenses between April 20, 2008 and June 13, 2008.

Davies’ charges stem from an investigation by the FBI and Scranton Police.

The superseding indictment also seeks the forfeiture to the United States of any property used and intended to be used to commit and to promote the commission of the offenses, including any interest Davies has in various computer and computer-related equipment that was seized by agents, a hot tub, and Davies’ residence in Scranton.

Pfannenschmidt noted that Davies faces a mandatory 10-year prison sentence and up to life in prison if he is convicted of the internet enticement charge; and up to 10 years in prison if convicted of either the child pornography charge or the attempted transfer of obscene materials.

Pfannenschmidt noted further that if Davies is convicted of the internet enticement charge, in addition to the 10-year mandatory prison sentence and possible life prison sentence, he faces a mandatory five years and a possible life term of supervised release after serving any prison sentence.

Pfannenschmidt noted that this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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.

Pfannenschmidt noted that Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.

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An Indictment or Information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Grand Jury and/or United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant has pled guilty to the charges.