ELLWOOD CITY ― A Lawrence County man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of sexually exploiting a minor and coercing the victim to produce child pornography.
Judges for the Western District of Pennsylvania said Shayne Clapper, 30, of Ellwood City, entered the plea Thursday afternoon. The charges came as a result of an investigation that revealed Clapper had been in a sexual relationship with a minor from January to February 2023.
According to the investigators, Clapper purchased a cellphone, which he gave the minor to communicate with him during this time. Via this cellphone, Clapper requested and received multiple nude photos from the minor. Further investigations revealed Clapper had induced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce a sexual video. When local police and the FBI seized Clapper’s cellphone, they found the sexual abuse images…