John Serak, a former Pittsburgh police officer, is now facing charges after a yearlong undercover investigation into his alleged text communications with a 13-year-old girl.

A former Pittsburgh police officer who's currently employed by the Transportation Security Administration at Pittsburgh International Airport is facing charges after a yearlong undercover investigation into his alleged text communications with a 13-year-old girl. John Serak, 51, of Baden, allegedly began communicating in March 2016 with a young girl he knew, according to the criminal complaint. When the child’s family notified police, county detectives began an undercover operation. For seven months, a detective communicated with Serak while pretending to be the 13-year-old girl, according to police. The criminal complaint contains pages of alleged messages Serak sent, including: “I hope this doesn’t freak you out but I’m texting you in my underwear...” “I want to give you a long slow kiss” “If you were here we could snuggle on the bean bag chair” “Oh yes we would both be moaning and groaning with pleasure.” The TSA confirmed Serak worked at Pittsburgh International as a Transportation Security Specialist – Explosives. The TSA also issued a statement in response to Serak’s arrest: "The employee has been placed on suspension, pending removal. TSA does not tolerate illegal, unethical or immoral conduct. TSA is cooperating with local law enforcement officials as they continue to investigate the allegation." Serak was arrested at the airport Tuesday afternoon and is in the Allegheny County Jail on $50,000 bond. Update: The TSA on Wednesday told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Reporter Bob Hazen that Serak worked as a Transportation Security Officer and could have potentially been involved in pat downs and other screening procedures. On Thursday the TSA corrected that information to indicate that Serak was employed as a Transportation Security Specialist and was not involved in routine screenings.

A former Pittsburgh police officer who's currently employed by the Transportation Security Administration at Pittsburgh International Airport is facing charges after a yearlong undercover investigation into his alleged text communications with a 13-year-old girl.

John Serak, 51, of Baden, allegedly began communicating in March 2016 with a young girl he knew, according to the criminal complaint. When the child’s family notified police, county detectives began an undercover operation.


For seven months, a detective communicated with Serak while pretending to be the 13-year-old girl, according to police.

The criminal complaint contains pages of alleged messages Serak sent, including:

“I hope this doesn’t freak you out but I’m texting you in my underwear...”

“I want to give you a long slow kiss”

“If you were here we could snuggle on the bean bag chair”

“Oh yes we would both be moaning and groaning with pleasure.”

The TSA confirmed Serak worked at Pittsburgh International as a Transportation Security Specialist – Explosives. The TSA also issued a statement in response to Serak’s arrest:

"The employee has been placed on suspension, pending removal. TSA does not tolerate illegal, unethical or immoral conduct. TSA is cooperating with local law enforcement officials as they continue to investigate the allegation."



Serak was arrested at the airport Tuesday afternoon and is in the Allegheny County Jail on $50,000 bond.

Update: The TSA on Wednesday told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Reporter Bob Hazen that Serak worked as a Transportation Security Officer and could have potentially been involved in pat downs and other screening procedures. On Thursday the TSA corrected that information to indicate that Serak was employed as a Transportation Security Specialist and was not involved in routine screenings.

