Former Boy Scout leader faces federal prison for child porn
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A former western Pennsylvania Boy Scout leader faces a likely federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography.
The Allegheny County district attorney’s office in October charged 41-year-old Christopher Sokiera in October after investigating reports he was sharing the images on his home computer months before.
Federal authorities took over the case and charged him before he pleaded guilty in February.
Sokiera reportedly told investigators he’s never improperly touched a Boy Scout or other child. He had been a volunteer and adviser for the NIscha Nimat chapter in the Beaver Valley and Seneca districts.
The Boy Scouts say Sokiera’s behavior is “unacceptable and runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands.”
Federal guidelines call for roughly seven to nine years in prison when he’s sentenced Thursday.