Fulton County Man Charged With Producing, Receiving And Possession Of Child Pornography

 HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 21, 2021, Kenneth harr, age 51, of McConnelsburg, was indicted by a federal grand jury for production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. 

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Harr produced, received and possessed child pornography images using a computer or cell phone between March 2018 and June 2021, in Fulton County. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Miovas, Jr. is prosecuting the 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.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the highest offense charged in the indictment is 30 years’ imprisonment, a lifetime term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment for the production of child pornography charge and a five year mandatory minimum sentence for the receipt of child pornography charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.