Thursday, October 28, 2021

Lost Creek Man Facing Federal Charges for Attempting to Persuade a Minor in Prostitution and Sexual Activity


A Schuylkill County man is facing Federal child sex charges.

On Thursday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Frank A. Nork, 47, of Lost Creek, of West Mahanoy Township, near Girardville was indicted by a federal grand jury on an attempted enticement of a minor charge.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that on October 21, 2021 Nork knowingly attempted to persuade, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in prostitution and sexual activity.

The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought 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. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. 

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.