United States of America v. Soumya Rudra

Akron, Ohio criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and to possession of child sexual abuse materials

PA Man Receives Maximum Penalty of 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Soumya Rudra, 42, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and to possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also referred to as child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and a $50,000 fine.



According to court documents, Rudra met the victim, who was 14-years old at the time of the incident, on the "Kiss Kiss” dating game app. He then used the Snapchat social platform to text and talk to her via video calls throughout several months in 2023. In late November 2023, Rudra made a 400-mile trek from Pennsylvania to Ohio to meet the underage victim. He admitted to picking her up in his vehicle to drive her to a hotel for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual acts with her. During the investigation, the defendant's electronic devices recovered in the hotel room were found to contain multiple CSAM images involving other minors.



The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Canton Field Office and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.



To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.