Pasadena Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

A Pasadena, Maryland man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in the sexual exploitation of a minor, concluding a federal investigation that uncovered covert recording, online distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Andrew Joseph Stilling, Jr., 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett to 180 months in federal custody, followed by 30 years of supervised release. The sentence reflects the severity of the offenses and the long-term risk factors associated with technology-facilitated child exploitation crimes.

According to court records and the defendant’s guilty plea, Stilling became involved in an online group in September 2024 comprised of adults who shared sexual interest in children. Within that group, Stilling discussed methods of secretly recording a minor without detection. Over the following three months, he carried out those discussions by covertly recording videos of a minor while the child was showering.

Investigators determined that Stilling captured multiple recordings and distributed screenshots derived from those videos to other individuals through online communication platforms. The conduct was not isolated or accidental but repeated and deliberate, involving both production and dissemination components that significantly increased criminal exposure under federal law.

Law enforcement later arrested Stilling and seized his cellphone, which forensic examination revealed contained child sexual abuse material. Among the material recovered was at least one image depicting a prepubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, a category of offense treated with the highest level of prosecutorial priority due to the direct harm inflicted on victims.

The investigation was conducted through coordinated federal, state, and local efforts led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Baltimore Field Office, working alongside the Maryland State Police and the Anne Arundel County Police Department. Prosecutors emphasized that multi-agency coordination remains critical in identifying offenders operating within closed online groups and dismantling networks that facilitate abuse.

Federal officials stated that cases involving covert recording and online dissemination represent a growing subset of child exploitation offenses, where private spaces are weaponized through technology and distribution networks amplify harm far beyond the original act. Sentences involving extended supervised release are designed to maintain long-term monitoring and restrict access to environments and technologies that could enable reoffending.

The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland as part of Project Safe Childhood, a national enforcement initiative focused on identifying offenders, rescuing victims, and disrupting both physical and online pathways used to exploit minors. Authorities reiterated that digital platforms do not insulate offenders from detection and that online coordination among abusers frequently generates investigative leads through data analysis, informant cooperation, and forensic review.

Officials involved in the case underscored that exploitation crimes leave lasting psychological and emotional damage, often extending far beyond the period of abuse itself. Federal sentencing in such cases reflects both punishment and incapacitation, with the goal of preventing further harm to vulnerable victims.

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