Indiana County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possessing of Child Sexual Abuse Material

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Possession of Material Depicting the Exploitation of Minors, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

Jeffrey Allen Sink, 56, formerly Commodore, PA, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

The Court was advised that in February of 2018, as a result of an ongoing investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, HSI Pittsburgh was advised that Mr. Sink, who was a convicted sex offender, was obtaining child sexual abuse material from a mobile communication application. On March 1, 2018, investigators spoke with Mr. Sink, who admitted that he utilized the internet to obtain child sexual abuse material. Mr. Sink gave agents permission to look at his electronic devices, including a cellphone, which were on his person or in the truck that he had been driving when he arrived at the residence that day. Investigators located videos and images of child sexual abuse material, which included toddlers and other prepubescent minors engaged in sexual acts with adults.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for Feb. 27, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Department of Homeland Security Investigations led investigation of this 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.justice.gov/psc.