Millvale Man Pleads Guilty to Second Offense Related to the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

Robert Paladino, Jr., age 60, of Millvale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, on or about August 13, 2015, Paladino knowingly possessed videos and images in computer graphic files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, some of whom had not yet attained 12 years of age. Paladino had previously been convicted of distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor in 2006 and served 121 months imprisonment on that offense.

United States District Judge David S. Cercone scheduled sentencing for March 23, 2018 at 10 a.m. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Paladino.

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.