Horsham Man Charged with Enticement, Manufacturing Child Pornography

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Richard Blong, age 28, of Horsham, PA with multiple counts of child exploitation offenses including enticing a minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct, manufacturing child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

These charges arise out of an investigation into the defendant’s online solicitation of three minor victims (all between the ages of 14 and 16 years old) to produce and send him sexually explicit photos of themselves, and his in-person meeting with one of the minor victims, during which he engaged in sexual contact with her and produced sexually explicit photos of her.  These offenses occurred throughout 2018.

“Child exploitation is a pervasive problem – made more so by the accessibility of the internet – that demands an aggressive response,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “We stand ready with our federal and local partners to identify and prosecute those who would prey upon minor children using online resources.”

“Blong preyed on children and manufactured videos of minors being sexually abused,” said Marlon V. Miller, special agent in charge of HSI Philadelphia.  “The unsealing of today’s indictment is the first step in holding him accountable for his reprehensible actions.  Homeland Security Investigations will work with our law enforcement partners to utilize every resource available to investigate child exploitation cases in Pennsylvania and around the country.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, which includes a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence, and up to a lifetime of supervised release.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office County Detective Bureau, and the Detective Bureau of the Union County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.