A Carbon County man was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Scranton on charges of producing child pornography and possessing child pornography.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the grand jury alleges that Todd Kowar, 24, Kidder Township, persuaded and induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of such conduct. The indictment says Kowar committed the crimes between 2008 and December 2012. The charges stem from an investigation by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police and Kidder Township Police.Kowar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison if he is convicted of the production of child pornography charge; and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if he is convicted of the possession of child pornography charge.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.Carbon caseKowar is also facing criminal court in Carbon County.On May 22 Kowar pleaded guilty in the county court in three pending cases, two invovling the sexual assault of a then 13-year-old girl.Kowar pleaded to one count of sexual abuse of a child, design/copy of obscene material depicting a minor (two counts), child pornography, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and corruption of a minor (two counts).He also pleaded to one count of terroristic threats for threatening District Judge Joseph Homanko, of Weatherly.Kidder Township police filed the charges related to the sexual counts. Police charged that Kowar took nude photographs of the victim at various times. He also provided the girl with alcohol. Another 13-year-old girl is also involved, when he took the two to an adult book store.In the case involving Homanko, Nesquehoning police charged him for an incident at the county prison. Kowar told another inmate he was going to kill Homanko because he presided over a civil matter in which he allegedly lost his home and also on the child abuse charges.Kowar entered the pleas before Judge Joseph J. Matika. Matika deferred sentencing because the sexual charges fall under the provisions of Megan's Law. Kowar must undergo an evaluation by the state sexual offenders assessment board to determine if he is a violent sexual predator. Matika also ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.Kowar is scheduled to be sentenced by Matika on Sept. 25, at 9 a.m.