YORK COUNTY — A Conewago Township man who allegedly impersonated a U.S. Marshal was indicted by a federal grand jury last week on child exploitation charges and the offense of personation of a federal official, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The unsealed indictment alleges that between January 2017 and April 2017, 25-year-old John Snow coerced a 16-year-old online to engage in sex acts, U.S. Attorney David Freed says. Snow also allegedly used a minor to produce sexually explicit images between February 18, 2017 and February 24, 2017.
In April, Northern York County Regional Police charged Snow with sexual abuse of children, unlawful contact with a minor, and attempted sexual abuse of a minor for his alleged involvement with the 16-year-old boy.
An investigation began when police received a report from the victim who said Snow met him on Facebook in January 2017, identified himself as a U.S. Marshal and told the boy he could help him with criminal charges if the victim allowed Snow to perform a sexual act with him, police alleged.
It’s also alleged that Snow 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 said.
Snow is also accused of asking the boy to send his lewd photos of himself.
Police added that they confirmed Snow was not a U.S. Marshal, or a member of any other type of law enforcement agency.
