A Pittsburgh resident, Justin Hughes, was sentenced on April 2 to 15 years in federal prison after being convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti said.
The sentencing underscores the seriousness with which the federal court addresses crimes involving the distribution of such materials and highlights efforts to protect victims and deter future offenses.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak handed down the sentence to Hughes, age 45. In addition to incarceration, Hughes will be subject to ten years of federal supervision upon release and must pay restitution to one victim. According to information presented in court, Hughes sent at least two emails containing a total of eleven video files and one image depicting child sexual abuse material to an individual in Ohio. Authorities were able to link these emails and the email account directly to Hughes.
Hughes is a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania with a prior conviction for sexual abuse around 2007. Judge Hornak commented before sentencing on “the very serious nature” of Hughes’ offense and noted that it required “serious punishment.” The judge also acknowledged the harm caused both directly and indirectly by distributing such material.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted the case for the government. U.S. Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its role in investigating and securing this prosecution.
