Western District of Pennsylvania | Ross Township resident charged with sexual exploitation of minors

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Ross Township, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

The six-count indictment named Ralph Talerico, 44, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, from June through July 2023, Talerico produced and attempted to produce material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. Talerico is also charged with possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12 on June 6, 2024.

The law provides for a maximum aggregate sentence of not less than 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1.5 million, or both. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based on the severity of the offenses and the suspect’s prior criminal history, if any.

Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the charges.

This 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood deploys federal, state, and local resources to locate, arrest, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is an accusation. A suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.