A Blawnox man was sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the sexual exploitation of a minor.
James W. Muir, 60, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Cathy Bissoon sentenced Muir to 20 years, to be followed by lifetime supervised release.
Prior to his arrest, Muir had worked as an assistant softball coach for the Fox Chapel Area School District and Penn State New Kensington.
According to authorities, Muir induced a minor to engage in sex acts in October 2022 and recorded and took pictures of the conduct.
Muir then sent the child sexual abuse material to another person via text, authorities said.
Muir also faces separate child sexual assault charges that remain pending in Allegheny County Court.
In August 2024, Allegheny County Police filed 26 charges against Muir in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a teenager.
Police accuse Muir of sexually abusing a teenager in 2022 and taking them to hotels in Harmar and Frazer for sex.
Muir had inappropriate pictures and videos of the teen on his phone and shared them with someone else, police said.
Charges in that case include statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual abuse of children, possession of child pornography, unlawful contact with a minor, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, dissemination to minors, criminal use of communication facility and indecent assault.
