PITTSBURGH, PA. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 110 months’ imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release on his conviction for distributing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Gary Whisner, 38.
According to information presented to the court, on August 5, 2017, Whisner distributed multiple videos containing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including two females who were approximately 10 years-old. A subsequent search of Whisner’s electronic devices revealed approximately 10,700 images and 800 videos that depicted child pornography. Prior to imposing the sentence, Judge Horan referenced the seriousness of the offense and the number of victims in Whisner’s child pornography collection.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended Homeland Security Investigations and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Whisner.
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.