Fulton County Man Indicted For Distribution Of Child Pornography

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kevin Heidel, age 41, of Fulton County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on January 19, 20, and 27, 2023 and April 13, 2023, Heidel distributed child pornography in Fulton County.  The indictment also alleges that Heidel possessed child pornography from August 2022 to May 2023. 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Huntingdon Borough Police Department, and the Huntingdon County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.

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. 

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 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.

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

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