MONROE COUNTY MAN ADMITS TO RECEIVING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

Martin C. Carlson, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that a Cresco, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Richard P. Conaboy to receiving child pornography during September 2007 through November 5, 2007.

Carlson stated that Stephen Kruger, age 28, admitted to downloading to his computer sexually explicit images of minors obtained from the internet.

Kruger was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 13, 2007, as a result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Scranton Police.

Carlson noted that Kruger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a special assessment of $100, and could be placed on supervised release for life after serving his prison sentence. Judge Conaboy scheduled Kruger’s sentencing for July 23, 2008.

Carlson noted that the investigation and prosecution of Kruger are part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Carlson noted that the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.

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