Pottstown man faces child porn charges

PHILADELPHIA » A Pottstown man is facing charges in federal court that he possessed and distributed child pornography.

Calvin Roeder, 31, address unavailable, was charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in connection with incidents that occurred between June and August 2017, according to an indictment announced by U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. The indictment was recently unsealed by federal authorities.

The indictment alleged that between June 2, 2017 and June 23, 2017, Roeder distributed images of child pornography, and on August 24, 2017, he possessed images of child pornography.

If convicted of the charges, Roeder faces a maximum possible sentence of 50 years in prison and

a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.

According to McSwain, the case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the “growing epidemic” of child sexual

exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and the criminal division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

Additional information about Project Safe Childhood can be obtained by visiting www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh A. Davison.