Richard J. Pavel III, a 34-year-old resident of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged last week with distribution and receipt of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced the arrest, which followed an investigation into Pavel’s online communications regarding sexual interest in children and trading images of child pornography.
Law enforcement executed search warrants at Pavel’s home in Northwest Washington, D.C., on September 4, 2025. Authorities seized multiple electronic devices during the operation and took Pavel into custody. After his initial court hearing on September 4, he was ordered to remain held until a detention hearing scheduled for September 9.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force consists of FBI agents as well as other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia, focusing on investigating child exploitation and human trafficking cases.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood coordinates federal, state, and local resources to investigate these crimes, prosecute offenders, and identify victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen is prosecuting the case.
“Richard J. Pavel III, 34, of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged last week with distribution and receipt of child pornography in the context of actively discussing the sexual abuse of young boys,” announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
