Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 90 years In Prison For Production Of Child Pornography

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Vincent Watson, age 48, of Luzerne, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 90 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for production of child pornography.

According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between October 23 and 24, 2021, Watson produced four videos and one still image of child pornography in Wilkes-Barre.  The videos and image showed Watson having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl, posing her in the nude for the camera, and giving her alcohol. 

"Our hearts go out to the victim and the family for their harrowing ordeal. The sentence handed down to John Watson is a testament to the relentless efforts and dedication of the entire investigative team and we hope that it brings some comfort knowing that he cannot commit these crimes again,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “The collaboration between HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Plains Township Police Department, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and the Luzerne County Detective’s Office was instrumental in bringing Watson to justice. Our excellent relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania led to the conviction of an individual who presented a grave threat to public safety, specifically children.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Plains Township Police Department, Kingston Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police Computer Crime Lab, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Sean A. Camoni prosecuted 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

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