Pittsburgh Duo Hit with Child Sex Exploitation Charges

PITTSBURGH, Pa – The grim streets of Pittsburgh have once again witnessed the horror of child exploitation. Karen R. Allen, 37, and James Clark, 38, both residents of the Steel City, are now staring down a federal indictment for their alleged roles in sexually exploiting a minor. According to Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti, a sealed six-count Indictment was unsealed this week, painting a chilling picture of abuse.

The feds charge that Allen and Clark coerced the victim into participating in explicit conduct aimed at producing visual depictions. The duo faces a minimum sentence of 15 years to a maximum of 30 years behind bars, along with fines up to $250,000.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schupansky will lead the prosecution against the accused in federal court. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation uncovered this case, which is part of Project Safe Childhood—a Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation since 2006.

The defendants appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kezia O. L. Taylor today for arraignment. As a stark reminder that an indictment is just an accusation, the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

For more on Project Safe Childhood and its efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

RELATED: Stroudsburg Woman Gets 20 Years for Deadly Heroin Deal

RELATED: Penn Yan Man Charged in $200K Space Parts Fraud