ERIE, PA—A former resident of Cambridge
Springs, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating
federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States
Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Eric Lee Stafford, 33, pleaded guilty to
two counts before United States District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin.
In connection with the guilty plea, the
court was advised that Stafford distributed and possessed computer images
depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge McLaughlin scheduled sentencing
for February 4, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of
sixty years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal
Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the
seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney
Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and
the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the
prosecution of Stafford.
Launched in February 2006, Project Safe
Childhood is a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online
exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe
Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate,
apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as
well as identifY and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe
Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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