Auglaize County Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Charges

TOLEDO, Ohio - A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to federal prison for Child Sexual Abuse Materials charges.

Seth Jacob Schwerin, of Wapakoneta, Ohio, was sentenced to 204 months (17 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp, after pleading guilty to:

• Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography
• Transportation of Child Pornography

Schwerin was also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $5,000 toward the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which was established in 2015 to provide justice for victims of trafficking.

According to court documents, federal agents were investigating a cybertip about Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) files uploaded to an online platform, as well as distributed to an undercover agent, and Schwerin was subsequently identified. During a search warrant executed at his residence, Schwerin's electronic devices were seized and forensically examined. Investigators found that on several occasions, from approximately August 2021 to January 2025, Schwerin received, possessed, distributed, and transported images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, investigators learned that he committed some of his CSAM activity during work hours.

The investigation was led by the Homeland Security Investigations Cleveland Office, the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Wapakoneta Police Department, and the Auglaize County Sheriff's Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.

To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.