In an unusual federal obscenity case, a Monroeville man admitted today that he used software for photographs to create computer images of a 14-year-old girl being sexually abused, although no actual abuse took place.

Henry Kendall pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of obscene visual representation of the sexual abuse of children.

Federal prosecutors agreed to drop a second charge of possession of child pornography.

A girl known by Mr. Kendall was depicted on Mr. Kendall's computer in bondage and being sexually abused. Someone saw the images and reported them to authorities.

When they raided the home, U.S. postal inspectors and FBI agents said the man admitted to them that he used Photoshop software to create the bondage scenes and superimpose images of his penis into the pictures.

In court today, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kaufman told the judge that the images are "clearly obscene."

Under federal law, possession of any depictions of the sexual abuse of children, even fake ones, is illegal.