PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh man was convicted of having modified child sexual abuse material of child celebrities.
According to the Department of Justice, a federal jury found James Smelko, 56, guilty of two counts of possessing child pornography.
According to officials, Smelko was found to have photos of child actors that were digitally modified so they were nude or were engaged in sexual acts. The photos were found when law enforcement went through his computer in his Pittsburgh home.
While awaiting trial, Smelko was found to have violated the conditions of his release by having photos of the same nature again. The photos were found after concerning searches and images were detected by court-mandated monitoring software on his cell phone.
Smelko faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled on March 28, 2024.
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