Carlisle Resident Charged Federally With Child Exploitation

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today the indictment of Zackary Adam Knight for child exploitation offenses.  Knight, 19, of Carlisle, was charged in four separate counts in the indictment handed up by the Grand Jury in Harrisburg.

     According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Knight is charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a minor; production of child pornography; distribution of child pornography; and possession of child pornography.  The charges stem from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) inter-agency child exploitation task force, with assistance from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.

     The Indictment alleges the crimes were committed at the U.S. Army War College which is within the jurisdiction of the United States.

     Knight was taken into custody by HSI special agents on May 9, 2014.  At the time, Knight was a resident of a housing area at the War College.  After a detention hearing in Harrisburg, Chief United States Federal Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson ordered that Knight be detained pending further proceedings.

     If convicted of all offenses, Knight faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and fines up to $1,000,000.

     Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

     A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

     In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute of life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

     The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James T. Clancy.