New Milford Man Indicted On Child Exploitation Charges

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, Luke Shager, age 35, of New Milford, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual contact, online enticement, transportation of a minor and production of child pornography.    

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on November 4, 2019, Shager traveled from Pennsylvania to New York to engage in illicit sexual conduct and between July 2020 and December 2020, Shager used the internet and a cellular device to entice a minor victim to engage in sexual activity.  The indictment also alleges that on August 1, 2020, Shager transported a minor from New York to Pennsylvania with the intent to engage in sexual activity and on August 2, 2020 Shager produced child pornography. 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, 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.

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.

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