Justice Department: “A resident of Glenwillard, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Aidan Harding, 20, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment and other information presented to the Court, on or about December 11, 2024, Harding possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, including videos containing the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors.”

“On January 27, 2025, Harding was charged by criminal complaint and, at a February 12, 2025, detention hearing, ordered to be held without bond pending trial after the United States introduced evidence that Harding committed the charged offense and possessed additional materials depicting violent sexual assaults. In addition, in support of its contention that Harding presented an unacceptable danger to the community, the United States presented testimony and documentary evidence that Harding adhered to a racially-motivated violent extremist ideology, possessed more than 20 firearms, had targeted Pittsburgh’s Jewish community with antisemitic fliers, and made statements online about his interest in ‘political and revenge driven’ mass casualty events, including references to the shooter who murdered 11 congregants at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.”

“The evidence also established that Harding, who had been previously adjudicated delinquent for terroristic threats after discussing online his desire to commit a ‘high kill count’ attack, possessed videos of mass shootings from the United States and other countries, and had filmed himself re-enacting the Columbine mass shooting at a memorial honoring the victims of that attack.”