Pennsylvania radiologist charged with possession of child pornography

A Pittsburgh radiologist has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of possessing and attempting to transport child pornography.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, announced the two-count indictment on Sept. 4, naming 53-year-old Ashok Panigraphy, MD, as the sole defendant. In November 2022, the physician allegedly attempted to transport materials depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor in interstate commerce, the indictment said.

Panigraphy had worked as a professor and chief radiologist at UPMC Children’s Hospital, but was fired in November after police were notified of the investigation, the Pittsburgh Post-GazetteHe received his MD from Boston University and completed his residency and postdoctoral work in pediatric radiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Panigraphy pleaded not guilty on Sept. 3 and was released to house arrest on $50,000 bail. A judge ordered the doctor to remain within the Northern District of Illinois, Western Pennsylvania for court hearings and Eastern Pennsylvania for attorney meetings only, the Daily Voice reported reportedHe is also allowed to seek psychological help and use his computer, but there are restrictions.

The law carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. The final sentence imposed will be based on the severity of the offense and prior criminal history, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Homeland Security conducted the investigation in Pittsburgh and Chicago prior to the charges. Panigraphy’s case was brought by authorities as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat the “growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.”

An indictment is merely an accusation, with the radiologist presumed innocent until proven guilty, authorities noted.