Wexford man charged with allegedly sending obscene material to minors

A Wexford man is facing federal charges for allegedly attempting to send obscene material to a minor and coercing a minor into sexual activity, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, released the details following the issuance of an indictment by a Pittsburgh grand jury.

Albert Maximillian Jeremias, 79, is accused of having contact with undercover agents via internet chats from January to May 2023, who he believed were young girls between the ages of 12 and 15. During that time, he allegedly sent them pornographic images and livestreamed videos of himself. He also allegedly solicited sexually explicit photos from what he believed were minors. During this contact, he was sent a $50 gift card, allegedly as a form of enticement.

The detailed charges resulted in a four-count indictment, carrying potential penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Additionally, the ultimate sentence could be affected by the nature of the offenses and any prior criminal records the defendant may have, according to federal guidelines laid out in a statement obtained from the Justice Department’s website.

Deputy District Attorney Jacqueline C. Brown is handling the prosecution. The investigation was a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern Regional Police Department. The charges stem from Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to reduce and ultimately end the epidemic of child sexual exploitation. For more information about the initiative, visit www.justice.gov/psc.