Maryland Man Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Joshua Hockenberry, age 32, of Maryland, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of attempted production of child pornography, interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual contact, transportation of a minor, obstruction of justice, and retaliation against a witness.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that from March 2024 and continuing to at least July 2024, Hockenberry carried on a sexual relationship with a minor victim in which he transported the minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The indictment also alleges that Hockenberry attempted to have the minor produce child pornography, persuaded the minor to delete evidence, and threatened the minor after she provided incriminating evidence to law enforcement.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life in prison, up to life on supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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