A Pennsylvania man was sentenced in federal court in Springfield Wednesday to 30 years in prison for grooming and sexually assaulting a young girl, according to acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua S. Levy’s office.
In addition to his prison sentence, David Tweed, 46, of Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to a lifetime of supervised release after the prison sentence is served.
Between September and December 2021 Tweed groomed a 12- to 13-year-old girl he met online.
“Tweed repeatedly persuaded the victim to send sexual pictures and video of herself and to perform lewd acts on video calls,” a statement from Levy’s office reads.
Tweed, on more than one occasion, drove to Pennsylvania to places in New England where he met the girl in person and sexually assaulted her, according to the statement.
Tweed was arrested in August 2022 on one count of child exploitation and was held following an initial appearance in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, according to the statement.
“David Tweed preyed on a child, first exploiting her online and later abusing her in person,” Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England said in a statement. “This is a horrific example of how online threats become real danger. HSI is working around the clock to keep kids safe online by bringing predators like Tweed to justice.”
Levy commended the prison sentence imposed on Tweed.
“Mr. Tweed sought out, groomed and then repeatedly sexually abused and exploited this very young and vulnerable girl. His criminal and depraved behavior has finally been stopped and his victim is finally free of his abuse,” he said in a statement. “I applaud the victim’s bravery and the support and dedication of her family to see this case through.”
