A former Clarendon resident will spend 25 years in federal prison on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children.

Jeffrey C. Rogers, 60, was sentenced in federal court.

According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Rogers “used his cellphone to take multiple sexually explicit photos of two minors after providing them marijuana and alcohol at his apartment in Sheffield, Pennsylvania.

“Rogers then stored the photos on his phone. The Pennsylvania State Police discovered the illegal images after executing a search warrant at Rogers’ apartment in February 2018 and seizing Rogers’ phone.”

A trial in the case resulted in a split verdict.

The evidence presented “at trial conclusively established that Rogers took advantage of two troubled teenagers to satisfy his abhorrent sexual desires,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office detailed in a sentencing memorandum.

“Rogers deserves, and the protection of the community demands, a sentence that will keep him away from children for the rest of his life.”

“The evidence presented at trial plainly revealed that Rogers saw an opportunity to satisfy his base desires and took it without regard to the impact upon the victims,” prosecutors allege. “Instead of acting like an adult in the situation and refusing to let the victims into his apartment, he willingly let them in and did everything he could to get what he wanted.”

They claim that the sentencing range included life in prison.

“A sentence long enough to protect the community by keeping Rogers away from children for the rest of his life is appropriate,” prosecutors argue. “There is ample reason to make sure Rogers never gets out of prison.”

Rogers’ federal public defender argued in a sentencing memo for a sentence of the mandatory minimum of 15 years.

“Mr. Rogers’ has been depressed and alone for much of his life,” his counsel detailed Thursday. “For nearly 30 years, his alcoholism drove his behavior and resulted in failed – albeit age-appropriate – relationships.

“Such conduct represents a clear departure from anything Mr. Rogers has ever been involved with during his life,” they continue. “Mr. Rogers has been in custody for the past 5.5 years following his arrest in this case.”

His counsel cited lack of family stability and substance abuse issues.

“Although it by no means constitutes an excuse for the circumstances of this case, Mr. Rogers’ extensive and pervasive substance abuse – at the very least – offers an explanation why this happened,” they assert. ” It offers an explanation for why he gravitated to and attracted those seeking to abuse drugs and alcohol. It explains his lack of self-worth and agency…. The circumstances surrounding this case represent an isolated situation unlike anything that ever occurred previously in his life.

“While Mr. Rogers acknowledges the guilty verdict reached by the jury on certain counts charged by the government, he maintains his innocence.”

United States Attorney Eric Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rogers.

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.

In addition to the period of incarceration, the sentence includes lifetime supervised release and $8,300 in restitution.