Pittsburgh sports announcer pleads to child porn

By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A well-known local sports announcer and former weekend news anchor for ESPN Radio 1250 pleaded guilty to child pornography charges today in federal court.

John P. Duffy, 47, of Carnegie, faces a likely prison term of 51 to 63 months when he is sentenced Jan. 22 by Senior U.S. District Judge Alan N. Bloch.

Mr. Duffy, who was charged after a May 16 search of his home, had more than 40 video files of children engaged in sexually explicit behavior on his computer. Some of those children, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Soo Song, were prepubescent.

A Pennsylvania State Police trooper doing an online investigation into people sharing child pornography came across Mr. Duffy on April 17. His computer was sharing more than 100 files.

A U.S. marshal took Mr. Duffy into custody following his hearing, as is required by federal law for that charge.

Mr. Duffy had previously worked with ESPN national radio as a local correspondent. In addition, he worked in the press box at University of Pittsburgh football games serving the media contingent, as well as for women's basketball at the Petersen Events Center.

 

I remember hearing this guy on ESPN Radio.

You think this sentence might need to be reworded?

Maybe put "on his computer" after video files?

 

Thanks for the update....sad and sickening for those of us who have met the guy.

 

With all the porn available on the internets, you'd think people could stay away from the kiddies.

Assuming he serves 60-80% of his sentence, the next 3 years are going to be rather painful for him.

 

60-80 percent, hell. It's a federal conviction. There is no parole.

 

Boy, I really, really hope this guy gets the help he needs.

 

Exactly. If I remember correctly, he has to use crutches or a scooter to get around.

 

Yes. I see sentence construction like this all the time, and it's maddening.

As for the issue at hand, if he's guilty, he'll get what he deserves. Not necessarily from the justice system, but from his fellow prisoners.

 

Well, that's the thing. If/when he's integrated into a general prison population, no, he won't be getting the help he needs.

Do I have a better answer? No, I don't. But that doesn't mean that it can't be recognized that several years in the company of rapists and murderers will be less than beneficial, rehab-wise.

 

How easy is it, or likely, to rehabilitate someone like this?

 

Rehab? Come on.
He'll get his rehab. In the form of a boyfriend.