PITTSBURGH – A resident of Blawnox, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release on his conviction for possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Michael Marlette, 56.
According to information presented to the court, on August 19, 2018, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations and the Blawnox Police Department executed a federal search and seizure warrant at Marlette’s residence. Investigators seized numerous electronic devices from the residence. A subsequent search of Marlette’s electronic devices revealed approximately 9,746 images and 291 videos that depicted child pornography.
Prior to imposing the sentence, Judge Stickman referenced the seriousness of the offense and the number of victims in Marlette’s child pornography collection.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended Homeland Security Investigations and the Blawnox Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Marlette.
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.