PITTSBURGH, PA. A resident of Williston, North Dakota, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal child exploitation laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The six-count Indictment named Nicholas Nesdahl, age 27, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, in October 2021, Nesdahl is alleged to have produced and attempted to produce material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor and received and attempted to receive material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this 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.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.