PHILADELPHIA, PA — A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to more than 35 years in federal prison after being convicted in a major child exploitation case involving the production and possession of illegal material, as well as the long-term mistreatment of multiple minors.
Joshua Lang, 37, received a sentence of 430 months in prison and lifetime supervised release on Tuesday, July 29, following a conviction on numerous federal offenses. In addition, Lang was ordered to pay more than $23,000 in restitution and over $14,000 in special assessments.
The case originated from a lead provided by Tampa police, which indicated that Lang had purchased illicit material online from a 13-year-old via social media. In July 2023, the Philadelphia Police Department’s Special Victims Unit and Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Lang’s Mayfair residence, which he shared with co-defendant Kenneth Miller.
The investigation revealed that Lang and Miller’s conduct extended beyond online activity, uncovering years of unlawful behavior involving minors. According to evidence presented in court, the two men covertly recorded minors at their home and created unlawful media files. They also engaged in inappropriate contact with children known to them, including a primary victim who was between the ages of 12 and 14 at the time.
Lang was further found to have independently recorded material involving a second minor, who was between 8 and 9 years old. Authorities also recovered more than 13,000 files of illegal content from his phone.
U.S. Attorney David Metcalf described the case as deeply troubling, stating: “He violated the privacy and trust of multiple children… Our community is emphatically safer with these predators in prison.”
Lang and Miller were federally charged in September 2023 and indicted in February 2024. Lang faced 16 counts in total, including multiple charges related to the creation and receipt of unlawful material. Miller, who pled guilty, was previously sentenced to 400 months in prison.
Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia, emphasized the coordinated law enforcement response: “The collaborative efforts of HSI Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office were crucial in uncovering the full extent of their actions and bringing them to justice.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Harrell and Amanda McCool.
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