A Dauphin County man has been sentenced to over eight years in prison for receiving images of child sexual exploitation. Dylan Ruppert, 29, formerly of Halifax, Pennsylvania, received a 97-month sentence on February 20, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson handed down the sentence.
Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus stated that law enforcement officials found approximately 65 electronic files of child pornography on Ruppert's phone during an August 11, 2023 search of his home. Additionally, they discovered communications where Ruppert expressed a desire to groom a child for sexual activity.
This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address the increasing problem of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program involves federal, state, and local resources aimed at prosecuting offenders and rescuing victims.
The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley were responsible for prosecuting the case.