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HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that a Westmoreland County man who knowingly possessed and distributed child pornography was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison for felony charges related to child pornography after explicit images of minors were found on his personal computer.
Joshua Pottle, 37, of the 2500 block of Blacks Lane, New Kensington, was found guilty on all charges related to possession and distribution of child pornography by a jury on October 3, 2018.
An investigation revealed the above-mentioned residence was associated with the target Internet Provider (IP) Address connection, which Pottle stated had been his home for the past 23 years. On May 21, 2015, agents from the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit executed a search warrant and arrested the defendant, who was locked in his bedroom.
Pottle admitted to agents that the computers seized in the residence were his, and that he had downloaded the child pornography for the purposes of sharing the files on a peer-to-peer network which included images and videos of children, toddlers, and infants. The defendant was unable to confirm how much child pornography he had downloaded, but referred to himself as a “collector” of such illicit material and that ‘the only time he deletes child pornography files is when he needs to free up space in order to download more’. During that search, agents also discovered a dresser drawer in Pottle’s bedroom containing 34 pairs of soiled young girls’ underwear.
“This is an egregious case – the defendant is a repeat child predator who has continued to engage in behavior that harms children. We are satisfied with the results from today’s sentencing — which will take a predator off the streets for a long time,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “My Office will investigate and prosecute anyone we uncover who sexually abuses children to the fullest extent of the law.”
Pottle was sentenced by Westmoreland County Judge Rita D. Hathaway. The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Chuck Washburn.
Individuals who suspect an online predator or abuse can send anonymous tips to the Office of Attorney General by texting PAKIDS + YOUR TIP to 847411.
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