Pittsburgh Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Michael Marlette, age 53, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, which was returned on February 18, 2020 and unsealed today, on or about April 19, 2018, Marlette possessed materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 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. Marlette was released on bond pending trial.

Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Blawnox Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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.