Monessen man sentenced in child sex case
A federal judge in West Virginia sentenced a Monessen man to more than 8 years in prison Monday for traveling across state lines to have sex with a juvenile.
Mark Sassak Jr., 38, began exchanging messages with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, they conversed for several weeks before Sassak asked to meet in person to have sex.
Sassak drove from his home to Bridgeport, W.Va., in October 2020, and was arrested by the local police department. According to the release, police found multiple chats with suspected juveniles and child pornography.
He was found guilty of one count of travel to engage in sexual activity with a minor, and one count of possession of child pornography following a three-day trial in December 2021.