Crafton Heights victim speaks out as man who kidnapped her when she was 13 years old is released

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WEBVTT KIDNAPPERS HOME. A CRAFTON HEIGHTS WOMAN TRICKED BY A MAN SHE MET ONLINE, WHEN SHE WAS JUST 13-YEARS-OLD. JANELLE: NOW 18 YEARS LATER, THAT MAN, IS OUT OF PRISON. AND THE VICTIM IS TALKING TO PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4. MIKE: SHE TOLD ANDREW STOCKEY SHE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HER ATTACKER WAS A FREE MAN. ANDREW: JUST STUNNING IS HOW SHE FELT -- FOUND OUT. ALICIA KOZAKEWICZ TELLS ME HER WORLD CAME CRASHING DOWN, WHEN SHE FOUND OUT HER ATTACKER HA BEEN FREED, AND NOT FROM THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, BUT FROM A MEDIA INQUIRY, ON HER FACEBOOK PAGE. THE STATE SAYS THEY ALERTED HER OF SCOTT TYREE’S RELEASE VIA EMAIL. AN E-MAIL KOZAKEWICZ SAYS SHE NEVER RECEIVED. SHE TELLS ME THE STATE’S NOTIFICATION SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. KOZAKEWICZ SAYS SHE KNEW THIS DAY WOULD EVENTUALLY COME. SHE JUSTDID NOT EXPECT THAT SHE WOULD FIND OUT QUITE LIKE THIS. >> THIS IS REALLY A GREA INJUSTICE. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS PERSON TO BE IN PITTSBURGH AND NOT ONLY IN PITTSBURGH BUT NEAT R MY HOME. I WANT TO COME HOME AND VISIT. I WANT TO BE WITH MY PARENTS AND MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND I CAN’T DO THAT RIGHT NOW. ANDREW: A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION. ALICIA IS NOW A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND ADVOCATE. SHE SAYS THIS WON’T STOP HER EFFORTS TO KEEP KIDS SAFE. IN FACT, ALICIA SAYS SHE IS MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER. JANELLE: THIS IS A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF FEELING. SHE’S DONE SO MUCH TO TRY TO CONNECT WITH YOUNG KIDS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. ANDR

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A Crafton Heights woman was kidnapped by a man she met online when she was 13 years old, now 18 years later, the man is out of prison. Survivor Alicia Kozakiewicz told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 she did not find out about her attacker's release from the state of Pennsylvania, but through a media inquiry on her Facebook page. The state said they alerted Kozakiewicz of Scott Tyree's release via AN email that she says she never received. She said the state's notification system needs to be updated. Kozakiewicz said she knew this day would eventually come. She just did not expect that she would find out like this. "This is really a great injustice. There is no reason for this person to be in Pittsburgh and not only in Pittsburgh, but near my home. I want to come home and visit. I want to be with my parents and my family and friends, and I cannot do that right now," Kozakiewicz said. Kozakiewicz is now a motivational speaker and advocate. She said her attacker's release will not stop her efforts to keep kids safe. Kozakiewicz said she is more determined now than ever. Scott Tyree was sentenced to 19 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in 2003 to two federal sex crimes. According to WRC-TV in Virginia, where Tyree is from, he is now living in a halfway house in Pittsburgh. The Federal Bureau of Prisons said his projected release from the halfway house is in April. The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement, "Inmate release dates include projected time for good conduct 'and' prior credit time received for incarceration prior to a sentencing date."