Pair Charged With Manufacturing Child pornography
Laura Shauger, 35, of Quakertown, PA, and Patrick Mergen, 40, of Sewell, NJ, were charged today by indictment with manufacturing, distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
If convicted, defendant Shauger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, and up to lifetime supervised release; Mergen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $4 million, and up to lifetime supervised release.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Levy.
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.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525
