A Bethel Park resident, Seth Hollerich, has entered a guilty plea in federal court for charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors and possession of contraband while incarcerated. Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the development.
Hollerich, aged 30, admitted guilt to three counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV. The court was informed that Hollerich distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors on two separate occasions in March and September 2021. Additionally, in November 2024, during his imprisonment for these offenses, he was found with a prohibited object intended as a weapon—specifically an 8.5-inch shank with a sharpened plastic tip and two additional shanks with sharpened foil tips.
Judge Stickman has set sentencing for October 14, 2025. For the child sexual exploitation charges, federal law stipulates a sentence ranging from five to twenty years in prison and/or a fine up to $250,000. The contraband charge carries a maximum sentence of five years and/or a similar fine. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines will determine the actual sentence based on the severity of the offenses and any prior criminal history.
Hollerich remains detained pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Kelly M. Locher are handling the prosecution.
The investigation leading to Hollerich’s prosecution involved the Department of Homeland Security, United States Marshals Service, and Butler County Prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. It aims to locate and prosecute offenders while identifying and rescuing victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
