In federal court on Tuesday, Mark Kriss, a 64-year-old resident of Freedom, Pennsylvania, entered a guilty plea for the charge of receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, as announced by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan.
Acknowledging his involvement in the offense, Kriss faced Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak where the court learned of Kriss' interactions with a minor. The prosecution advised that, on an online adult dating site designed for extramarital encounters, Kriss made contact with a 14-year-old and received sexually exploitative photographs from the minor on May 22, 2021. Kriss is scheduled for a meeting with Chief Judge Hornak on October 29 for sentencing, according to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The guilty plea also includes an admission by Kriss to meeting the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts at a local motel. Under the sentencing guidelines, Kriss could face a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, as well as a possible fine of up to $250,000. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is leading the prosecution on behalf of the government.
Investigative efforts by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Northern Regional Police Department brought about the charges against Kriss. The gravity of this offense is underscored by the strict sentencing guidelines which reflect the seriousness of crimes involving the exploitation of minors. The actual sentence will be determined by considering the severity of this incident and any previous criminal history associated with Kriss.
