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Penn man found guilty

PITTSBURGH — A Penn Township businessman who was convicted Wednesday afternoon in a federal molestation case still faces related charges in Butler County, according to online court documents.

A jury deliberated for about two hours before handing down a guilty verdict for James M. Leroy, 54, of Beacon Road. The verdict — that Leroy was guilty of two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity — came after a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab.

A U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman in Pittsburgh said testimony and evidence presented in the case focused on how Leroy exploited four minor children between 2009 and 2016. Testimony from Butler County Detective John Hertzog detailed “direct and indirect” efforts by Leroy to obstruct an investigation by Penn Township police, Butler County detectives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the spokesman said.

Leroy faces a minimum of 10 years behind bars, and Schwab set sentencing for June 5.

A grand jury indicted Leroy in November on the charges, after he was accused of molesting four youths who had worked for his business, Jimi Enterprises, on Pittsburgh Road. The business manufactures and refurbishes trailer axles for mobile homes and large equipment.

Prosecutors say Leroy sexually exploited the youths between 2009 and 2016 at his home in Butler County. He was charged federally because two of the victims also told investigators that Leroy had taken them on out-of-state trips, where he gave them alcohol and pills and molested them during hotel stays in Florida and Michigan.

The county’s case against Leroy, which has been delayed multiple times as the federal case progressed, is still on the books. In that case, Leroy faces 10 felony charges — two counts of indecent assault against a person under the age of 13, four counts of corruption of minors, and four counts of endangering the welfare of children — and five misdemeanor charges including indecent assault, corruption of minors and reckless endangerment, according to online court documents.

A preliminary hearing before District Judge Sue Haggerty is set for Feb. 22, according to online court documents.

LeRoy’s defense attorney, Steven Townsend, did not return a message left this morning seeking comment.

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