Pittsburgh Man Charged with Attempted Coercion of a Minor for Sex

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Joseph Hamilton, 38, as the sole defendant.

According to indictment, from March 11, 2019 until on or about April 18, 2019, Hamilton used a facility or means of interstate commerce, specifically the Internet and over a cellular phone network, to knowingly attempt to persuade, induce, entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The FBI conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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.