Franklin County Man Federally Charged With Production Of Child Pornography Using An Infant

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a Waynesboro man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg for the offenses of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Evan Matthew Lawbaugh, age 32, is alleged to have sexually assaulted an infant in December 2015 and recorded and distributed the video depicting such assault. 

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daryl Bloom. 

If you have any information related to this case or believe you or someone you know may be a victim, you are encouraged to contact Postal Inspector Michael Corricelli of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 717-257-5581.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 50 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.   Count I carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of 25 years’ imprisonment.  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.

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