A Pennsylvania man with a prior record for child pornography has admitted to a chilling multi-state campaign of abuse targeting toddlers in New York and Texas. Trevor Metterhauser, 41, pled guilty on November 13, 2025, to federal charges including aggravated sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.
The plea agreement, announced by Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III and FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli, outlines a series of crimes committed across state lines involving victims as young as two years old.
According to court documents, Metterhauser’s criminal history dates back to a 2011 conviction for possessing child pornography in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors say he re-offended in November 2022 when he conspired with Brandon Whitford in the Northern District of New York. Metterhauser traveled to Whitford’s home to make illicit recordings of a naked 4-year-old girl.
READ: ‘Ghost’ Patients And Phantom Bills: Florida Nurse Sentenced In New York For Major Fraud, Pill Scheme
After Metterhauser left the premises, Whitford sexually assaulted the child, recorded the act, and sent the footage to Metterhauser.
The abuse escalated the following month. In December 2022, Metterhauser coordinated with Carlos Julian Ruiz in Texas to target a toddler approximately 2 years old. Metterhauser traveled from Pennsylvania to Texas, where he personally sexually assaulted the child and recorded the abuse.
Federal agents arrested Metterhauser in upstate New York in early 2023. At the time of his capture, he was in possession of electronic devices containing the recordings of his assault on the Texas victim, the footage sent by Whitford regarding the New York victim, and additional child pornography sourced from the internet.
“The defendant’s admitted conduct is horrendous beyond description,” Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated. “This plea provides much needed finality and certainty for the victims and ensures that this dangerous predator never terrorizes another child.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli described Metterhauser as one of the “most disturbing predators” the Albany field office has investigated to date. “His sinister crimes spanned multiple states, and the details of his abuse are truly horrific,” Tremaroli said.
Under the terms of the plea deal, Metterhauser faces a statutory term of 80 years in federal prison at his sentencing, scheduled for March 12, 2026. The sentence is also expected to include a lifetime term of supervised release, forfeiture of the devices used in the crimes, restitution payments to the victims, and mandatory sex offender registration.
Both Whitford and Ruiz have also pled guilty to offenses related to their involvement in the abuse.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
