Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor, Possession of Child Pornography

PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Walter Tharrington, aka "Black" and "Roaadblock," 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 192 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for sex trafficking and child pornography offenses.

Tharrington was charged by indictment in August 2024. In April of last year, he was convicted at trial of sex trafficking of a minor and possession of child pornography.

As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, in or about the summer of 2023, the defendant asked Minor 1, then 14 years old, to help him make money. In order to do so, Tharrington directed Minor 1 to engage in commercial sex, with the defendant facilitating the commercial sex by soliciting customers through online advertisements.

Tharrington used his cellular phone to post explicit content of Minor 1 to accompany the online advertisements. The defendant set the prices for the encounters and instructed Minor 1 on what sexual acts to perform in exchange for money.

At the defendant's direction, Minor 1 engaged in sexual encounters with buyers. The evidence established that Tharrington kept and controlled the profits from the encounters, while providing shelter for Minor 1, who lived at Tharrington's house during the summer of 2023.

Tharrington physically assaulted Minor 1 on multiple occasions. Minor 1's injuries were observed by another minor female, who corroborated Minor 1's account and confirmed that the defendant had solicited her to work for him, as well.

"Walter Tharrington made money by sexually exploiting a child," said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. "Putting anyone through that, let alone a vulnerable minor, is unconscionable. Know that my office and our partners are working every day to put traffickers like this defendant behind bars and ensure some justice for their victims."

"Sex trafficking, especially when it involves a child, is one of the most egregious crimes the FBI investigates," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. "This sentencing sends a clear message: the FBI and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who prey on our most vulnerable and ensure they are brought to justice."

"The sentencing of Walter Tharrington is an important step in holding traffickers accountable, but it does not erase the harm done," said Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse. "Sex trafficking, especially of minors, is a monstrous crime and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold each and every participant accountable for their actions. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Metcalf and his team for their diligence and unfailing cooperation. Delaware County is fortunate to be able to call them partners as we all work to protect our children."

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood 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, please visit projectsafechildhood.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Delaware County District Attorney's Office Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Amanda McCool.