HARRISBURG—Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that a 33-year-old Warren County man has been sentenced to 20 to 50 years in prison for possession of child pornography.
Mason Swanson, of Columbus Township, pleaded guilty to seven felony counts of possession of child pornography, and was determined to be a sexually violent predator. He was sentenced to 20 to 50 years in prison, followed by five years probation. He will have to register for life as a sexual predator.
This case is Swanson’s second conviction for sexual abuse charges. He was previously convicted of indecent assault and corruption of minors for sexual contact with a 13-year-old child.
“This defendant has proven without a doubt that he is a threat to the children in our communities,” Attorney General Henry said. “Today’s sentencing ensures that he will no longer have access to vulnerable young people, online or in person. Accessing child pornography is a crime that my office takes very seriously, and we will continue to protect children and hold predators accountable.”
An investigation by the Office of Attorney General found that child pornography files were being downloaded from a computer with Swanson’s IP address. Investigators executed a search warrant at Swanson’s home, and found files containing child pornography on his laptop, desktop computer, and multiple electronic storage devices.
In an interview with investigators, the defendant admitted to viewing child pornography on a regular basis.
Anyone who has information about child predators is urged to contact the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section at 1-800-385-1044. Concerned citizens can also report child abuse to the Pennsylvania ChildLine by calling 1-800-932-0313.
This case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Angela Raver.
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