A former state trooper became a federal felon Friday when he pleaded guilty to child pornography counts following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and state police.
Sean Ryan McKenzie, 38, of Perryopolis, created videos of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct in 2020 and 2021 and sent the videos he secretly made, and another video of another child, to a Dropbox account. He also acknowledged that he possessed child porn while working as a corporal for the state police in New Stanton.
McKenzie had originally been charged in state court in Westmoreland and Fayette counties with various counts, including accusations that he used a hidden camera to record a minor girl undressing.
The case began in March of last year when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip that more than 200 child porn images were uploaded to a Dropbox account associated with McKenzie.
Troopers searched his house in Perryopolis and interviewed him. He denied using the Dropbox account but later admitted that he had been looking at child porn for eight years and turned over a USB drive containing porn that he had in his pocket. He also had porn on his phone.
McKenzie had joined the state police in 2008 and was suspended when the investigation came to light.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon said she’d sentence him in August. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces up to life in federal prison although he’s unlikely to get that. He remains in U.S. custody.
Torsten covers the courts for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Reach him at jtorsteno@gmail.com.
