Pittsburgh man pleads guilty to sharing child pornography videos

A Pittsburgh man has pleaded guilty to sharing child pornography videos of girls younger than 10 years old, federal prosecutors said.

Gary Lee Whisner, 37, was convicted of distributing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said.

Tuesday’s plea marked a shift from Whisner’s not guilty plea shortly after his arrest last March.

Investigators had received tips early last year that Whisner had been sharing the child porn videos with others, prosecutors said. A search of his electronic devices turned up more than 10,700 photos and 800 videos depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children, Brady said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted the case with help from Pittsburgh police and Homeland Security.

Per federal guidelines, Whisner faces a possible sentence of not less than five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years, Brady said.

U.S. District Judge Marilyn J. Horan scheduled sentencing for May 27.