SCRANTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Stout, age 49, a resident of Hughesville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 23, 2025, to 30 years’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann, for production of child pornography.

According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, between July 28, 2024 and July 29, 2024, Stout communicated with a 14-year-old child via Instagram.  Over a twenty-four-hour period, Stout directed the child to take and remit sexually explicit images of herself.  On August 23, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Stout’s residence and three cellular telephones belonging to Stout were seized and analyzed.  In total, hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material, including images and videos of the 14-year-old child engaging in sexually explicit conduct were recovered from Stout’s devices.

Forensic review confirmed that in addition to communicating with the 14-year-old child, Stout communicated with multiple minors via Snapchat.  The conversations were graphic, sexually explicit, and revolved around the production of child sexual abuse material.  In addition to producing sexually explicit images and videos of children, Stout distributed child sexual abuse material to others via the encrypted Telegram application.

Stout admitted to communicating with minors online and requesting sexually explicit images from them.  Further, to gain their trust, he acknowledged that he would often pose as a juvenile male. 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Philadelphia Division, the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office, and the Hughesville Borough Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the 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.usdoj.gov/psc.

This matter occurred on date indicated but not issued at that time due to the government shutdown.  Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.

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