A former chief radiologist at UPMC Children’s Hospital has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography images, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Pittsburgh and Chicago resident Ashok Panigrahy, 53, was charged with one felony count each of transporting and possessing material depicting child sexual exploitation in the Western District of Pennsylvania federal court related to incidents allegedly occurring Nov. 21 and 22 of 2022.

Panigrahy pleaded guilty to one possession count before U.S. District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand and will be sentenced at 1 p.m. July 17, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The law allows for a 20-year prison sentence and $250,000 fine, the office said.

Panigrahy initially pleaded not guilty to both counts in September but changed his plea Monday. In September, U.S. District Judge Patricia Dodge ordered Panigrahy to participate in specialized treatment for individuals charged with a sex offense and any further recommended mental health treatment, according to court documents.

A spokesperson from UPMC has previously told the Butler Eagle that Panigrahy was initially placed on administrative leave, and subsequently terminated.

Until the investigation, Panigrahy served as radiologist-in-chief at the UPMC Children’s Hospital, as well as vice chairman of clinical and translational imaging research at UPMC. He also was a professor of radiology.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative brought in May 2006 to combat child exploitation and abuse, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi M. Grogan will prosecute the case.

The Homeland Security Investigations (Pittsburgh and Chicago) conducted the investigation that led to Panigrahy’s prosecution. He is represented by Michael J. Engle of Stradley Ronon Stevens and Young in Philadelphia.