Pittsburgh Resident Charged with Transport and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

The two-count Indictment named Ashok Panigrahy, 53, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, in November 2022, Panigrahy transported and attempted to transport material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor in interstate commerce, as well as possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $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 Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations (Pittsburgh and Chicago) conducted the investigation leading to 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.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.