A Grove City resident, Michael William Boston, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Boston, age 40, entered his plea before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. According to information presented in court, Boston transported material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor across state lines on October 25, 2022. He also admitted responsibility for transporting child sexual abuse material on additional dates in April and July of 2023. Furthermore, he possessed more than 1,500 images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Judge Wiegand has scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2026. Boston faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, as well as a possible fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will be determined based on the seriousness of the offense and any prior criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police’s Northwest Computer Crime Unit conducted the investigation that led to these charges.
“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 (CEOS), 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,” according to information provided by officials.
