Pennsylvania man posing as U.S. Marshal forced sex acts on teen for 'undercover training'

MANCHESTER, Pa. (WPMT) -- A 28-year-old York County man will serve up to 15 years in federal prison followed by 15 years of probation for producing child pornography and impersonating a U.S. Marshal, according to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed.

John Bryan Snow, of Manchester, was sentenced Nov. 12 by U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III, Freed said.

Snow previously admitted that from January 2017 through February 2018, he impersonated a Deputy U.S. Marshal and claimed he was recruiting and training new employees for the U.S. Marshals Service. Snow further admitted that in connection with those efforts, he enticed a minor to produce a sexually explicit image in February 2018, Freed said.

According to police, the investigation began when officers received a report from the victim, a Jackson Township boy, who said he met Snow on Facebook in January 2017.

The boy told police that Snow identified himself as a U.S. Marshal, and told the boy he could help him with criminal charges if the boy allowed him to perform a sexual act with him. Snow also allegedly told the boy that Snow could help him get into the Marshals Service, police say. The victim said he and Snow met about 20 times, and that Snow performed a sexual act with him on about half of those occasions.

Snow allegedly told the victim that allowing a sexual act to be performed upon yourself “at any given time” was a necessary part of training for undercover work, police say.