HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Matthew Berresford, age 44, of Straban Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury with child pornography charges.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Beresford with producing and attempting to produce child pornography, receiving child pornography, and coercing or enticing a child to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The indictment also alleges that in 2010, Berresford was convicted in Maryland of a felony sex offense, which may subject him to increased penalties if he is convicted of the federal offenses charged in the indictment.
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.usdoj.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to life imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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