Pittsburgh Man Brian L. Turek, 38, Charged in Minor Enticement Case

PITTSBURGH, PA — Brian L. Turek, 38, of Pittsburgh, was booked into federal custody Wednesday on charges of coercion and enticement of a minor, following an undercover FBI operation that culminated in his arrest at a Dormont T-station. The arrest marks another flashpoint in the federal crackdown on predators using digital platforms to target children.

A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court alleges Turek used the Internet and a cellphone between February 6, 2019, and April 24, 2019, to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual he believed to be 13 years old into engaging in sexual activity. The communications, which included explicit messages and plans to meet, were exchanged directly with an undercover FBI agent posing as the minor.

Turek appeared in federal court yesterday and is scheduled for a preliminary examination and detention hearing Friday, April 26, 2019, at 11 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Maureen P. Kelly. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, along with a fine of up to $250,000, if convicted.

Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy is prosecuting the case. Authorities emphasize that the charges stem from Turek’s actions and intent—evident in the digital trail he left—regardless of the age or identity of the person he believed he was communicating with.

The FBI led the investigation, part of a broader initiative under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation. The program coordinates federal, state, and local agencies to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those who target minors, while also working to rescue victims.

A criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt. Under federal rules, a grand jury must return an indictment within 30 days for prosecution to proceed. Turek remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.