PITTSBURGH – A former resident of Moundsville, West Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Jason Lynn, age 43, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that beginning on April 4, 2019, Lynn began communicating with an undercover FBI agent purporting to be a minor. From April 4, 2019 through May 3, 2019, Lynn chatted with the undercover Agent. During their conversations, Lynn expressed his desire to engage in sexual conduct with the minor. The undercover Agent told Lynn that he was under 18 years of age. Lynn told the purported minor to delete the chats so that they would not get in trouble. Lynn made arrangements to travel to Pittsburgh and meet with the minor at a hotel downtown. On May 3, 2019, Lynn traveled in interstate commerce, from West Virginia to the state of Pennsylvania, to meet the purported minor. Agents arrested Lynn in downtown Pittsburgh.
Judge Hornak has not yet set a date for the sentencing hearing. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the defendant remains in custody.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lynn.
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.