An Ellwood City man will spend 15 years behind bars for coercing minors to send him nude images with the help of a woman who had access to the children.
U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on Tuesday imposed that term on David Bates, 64. His female accomplice, Tamara Kreitzer of New Castle, has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Bates had pleaded guilty in June to attempted production and production of child porn following an investigation by New Castle police and the Pittsburgh FBI.
Between July 2020 and October of that year, Bates and Kreitzer persuaded a minor to let Kreitzer take nude images of her to give to Bates in exchange for money. The government had evidence of a second child being exploited in the same way, although Bates only pleaded to one count.
Both defendants had previously been charged with child porn counts in state court in Lawrence County, but the case was later adopted by the U.S. attorney’s office because federal penalties are harsher.
According to the original police case and the federal prosecution, Bates had asked Kreitzer for photos of the children and asked one of them to take photos of herself in various poses. Kreitzer told investigators she had sent Bates images of one of the girls for $20.
Federal prosecutor’s evidence included screenshots of text messages between Bates and Kreitzer in which the two discussed taking and sending the images, with Bates asking for specific poses.
In addition to the prison term, Ranjan ordered Bates to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victims.
Kreitzer, who is in her mid-30s, pleaded guilty in March and will be sentenced next month.
Torsten covers the courts for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Reach him at jtorsteno@gmail.com.
