Retired Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission employee facing federal child pornography charges

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Jeannette, Pa., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy to produce material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor and production, distribution and receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

John S. Longo, 57, was charged in an eight-count indictment returned March 5 and unsealed March 12.

The indictment follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Pennsylvania State Police.

According to the indictment, Longo, a retired employee of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, during the period June 5, 2009 through Nov. 12, 2010, conspired with another person to produce material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. He is also charged with producing images of child pornography Jan. 30, 2010, distributing images of child pornography June 5, 2009 and receiving images of child pornography Jan. 31, 2010, Feb. 16, 2010, March 28, 2010, May 26, 2010, and Nov. 12, 2010.

If convicted, he faces up to 140 years in prison, a $2,000,000 fine, or both. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The investigation is part of HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch in the Western District of Pennsylvania.