A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has indicted a 19-year-old Turtle Creek resident on multiple charges concerning the sexual exploitation of a minor. The United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced the three-count indictment against Ja're Glavney-Owens, now facing serious legal consequences.
Glavney-Owens is accused of engaging in efforts to produce, transport, and possess child sexual abuse material. In or around November of 2024, the indictment asserts that the defendant attempted to use and did use persuasion and coercion with a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to create visual depictions of this abuse. Moreover, Glavney-Owens is charged with an attempt to transport and the actual transportation of child sexual abuse material, alongside possession of the same.
According to the Department of Justice, the maximum sentence for these offenses could be 30 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, or both. The federal Sentencing Guidelines will influence the ultimate sentence based on factors including the severity of the offenses and the defendant's prior criminal history.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation that resulted in Glavney-Owens's indictment, which is part of Project Safe Childhood — a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an accusation, and every defendant, including Glavney-Owens, is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
