An East Pittsburgh man has accepted guilt for charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti disclosed. Richard Snyder, aged 54, entered a plea to a single count in front of U.S. District Judge Robert J. Colville.
During the proceedings, Judge Colville was informed that Snyder, between July 15, 2023, and August 3, 2023, was found in possession of and accessing images of minors engaged in explicit acts on social media platforms. Moreover, Snyder conceded to breaching the terms of his supervised release, a consequence of a prior conviction in 2012 for obtaining child pornography.
Snyder's guilty plea comes with a stiff sentence. Under federal law, he faces no less than a decade behind bars and could be fined up to $250,000, or possibly both. The gravity of Snyder's past and current offenses will factor into his actual sentence, which will be determined under federal Sentencing Guidelines. His sentencing is set for September 10, while he remains in detention.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is at the helm of the government's case against Snyder. Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh conducted the investigation that precipitated Snyder's current legal woes. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the case is part of Project Safe Childhood. This initiative is a coordinated effort launched in 2006 aimed at addressing the proliferation of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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