Judge Sentences Bedford Man to 12 Years in Prison for Possessing, Distributing Child Pornography

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Bedford, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to 144 months in prison, 10 years’ supervised release and must register as a convicted sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) on his conviction of distribution and possession of child pornography, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Wade C. Baer, 32.

According to information presented to the court, on Feb. 19, 2013, Baer distributed a picture via the Internet which depicted a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and on March 7, 2013, he knowingly possessed pictures and videos in individual computer graphic files which were produced using prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The computer graphic files were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

Assistant United States Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr., prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Mr. Hickton commended the Southwest Computer Crime Task Force of the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Baer.

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 better 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.