Already charged in Chester County, federal authorities hit local man with new child porn charges – Daily Local

PHILADELPHIA — A Chester County man previously charged in Common Pleas Court with filming children in sexual situations has now been indicted in federal court on the same charges.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jason James Cain, 49, of East Nottingham, has been charged with seven counts of producing and attempting to produce child pornography, and two counts of possession of child pornography.

The charges stem from the defendant’s alleged sexual abuse and exploitation of seven minor children in his care over a period of more than 3 1/2 years, including exposing himself to the children, touching himself and the children in a sexual manner, allowing the children to touch them, and using multiple cameras to record the children using the restroom. The victims ranged in age from 2 to 9.

At the time he allegedly committed the child sex crimes, the suspect was employed by the United States Army Research Laboratory. Cain has been incarcerated in Chester County Prison on the related state charges since his arrest in December 2023. His bail has been set at $1 million.

Locally, Cain has been charged with a series of crimes, including indecent exposure, unlawful contact with a minor, correction of minors, invasion of privacy, sexual abuse of minors, and photographing sexual acts with minors. He is awaiting trial before Judge Bret Binder, though those charges could be thrown out in favor of the federal charges.

If convicted of the federal charges, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release up to life in prison, and fines of up to $434,000. He would also be required to register under the Sex Offender and Notification Act (SORNA) as a child molester.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Abuse and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, and to identify and rescue victims.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Chester County Detectives of the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

First Assistant District Attorney Erin O’Brien was the assigned prosecutor in the county. Cain is represented by West Chester attorney Dan Bush of the law firm Lamb McErlane.

To contact editor Michael P. Rellahan, call 610-696-1544.

Originally published: August 16, 2024 at 8:57 am