PITTSBURGH, PA — A resident of Duquesne, Pennsylvania has pleaded guilty to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan made the announcement on Friday, December 8, 2023.
George Cobbs, 41, faced federal court and pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
In conjunction with the guilty plea, the court was informed that Cobbs had attempted to and successfully used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor into engaging in sexually explicit conduct. These incidents occurred on July 14, 2021; September 22, 2021; and September 30, 2021, with the intention of producing visual materials of such conduct.
Judge Hardy has scheduled the sentencing for April 9, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. Under the law, Cobbs could face up to 90 years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000, or both. The actual sentence will be determined based on the severity of the offense and Cobbs’ previous criminal history, as per the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Cobbs will remain detained until his sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The FBI Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Duquesne Police Department, conducted the investigation leading to Cobbs’ prosecution.
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