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PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Perryopolis, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges involving the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Sean Ryan McKenzie, age 38, pleaded guilty to seven counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on June 5, 2020, December 13, 2020, and June 8, 2021, McKenzie attempted to and did use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor known to him to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct. McKenzie further admitted to sending some of the videos that he had surreptitiously created of this minor, as well as one other video depicting another minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, to a Dropbox account. McKenzie also acknowledged that, while in the employ of the Pennsylvania State Police as a Corporal, he knowingly possessed videos and images of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for August 31, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of life in prison, a fine of up to $1,750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, McKenzie remains detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations – Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of McKenzie.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.