Montrose Man Indicted For Child Exploitation Crime

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that George Welch, age 59, of Montrose, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of production of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on April 26, 2026, in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Welch produced child pornography.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Susquehanna County District Attorney's Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson 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 the crimes charged in the Indictment is 30 years' imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the 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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