One of six Bradford County men arrested in a child sexual abuse material sting last year now faces federal charges and potentially decades in prison.
Brad Daniel Swink, 41, of Rome, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a six-count indictment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The indictment alleges Swink produced child sexual abuse material on April 10, 2025, and distributed it on Jan. 27, 2023.
The indictment also alleges Swink possessed images of child sexual abuse between January 2023 and April 2025, and that he specifically received images or videos on three separate occasions from July 2023 to April 2024.
Swink and five others were arrested in April 2025 following a child predator sting operation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police Northeast Computer Crime Task Force, in conjunction with the Bradford County District Attorney’s Office and numerous other law enforcement agencies.
Swink was initially charged with five counts of felony 2 sexual abuse of children, and one count of felony 3 criminal use of communications facility.
The other people charged with various child sexual abuse material counts were Robert Michel, of Wysox, Calvin Shaffer, of Wyalusing, Evan Hitchcock, of Rome, Brandon Lantz, of Athens, and Robert Pilot, of Canton.
The arrests were the result of separate, unrelated cases, according to the Bradford County District Attorney’s Office. The cases against the other suspects are still pending.
The federal charges against Swink are the result of an investigation by Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI, as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
If Swink is convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense is up to 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Swink has been incarcerated at the Bradford County Correctional Facility since his initial arrest.
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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Bradford County man indicted on federal child sex abuse material charges
Reporting by Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
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