PITTSBURGH — A city of Pittsburgh firefighter was arrested by the FBI in Virginia on what police described as “deeply disturbing” charges.
According to federal documents, Brian Kosanovich is facing multiple charges after a monthslong investigation into online conversations he was having with someone he thought was a woman regarding potentially meeting her and her daughter for sex. He was really talking to an undercover FBI agent.
Documents show Kosanovich was arrested by undercover agents at a Chili’s restaurant in Midlothian, Virginia on Tuesday. He is charged with coercion and enticement, taking indecent liberties with children, and use of communications system to facilitate offenses involving children.
On Nov. 14, investigators said Kosanovich -- under the username “bk11t” -- contacted the agent on Alt.com. He allegedly claimed he was 50 years old and lived in Pittsburgh. They eventually moved their conversation to another messaging platform called “Kik,” where the agent purported to be a mother with access to her 10-year-old daughter.
According to an FBI criminal complaint, the investigation started in November 2019 when an undercover agent created a profile on “Alt.com," which is a “network for members interested in alternative forms of sexual relationships and friendship.” The undercover agent’s profile noted the user was an adult woman.
Over the course of the next few months, federal documents show Kosanovich and the agent had lengthy conversations about wanting to meet for sex involving both the 10-year-old girl and her mother. Investigators said Kosanovich sent multiple graphic images to the agent over that time.
WPXI did not disclose the content of those messages because of their sexual and graphic nature.
City of Pittsburgh officials confirmed Kosanovich is a city firefighter, and he was “immediately removed from duty and placed on unpaid administrative leave pending an administrative investigation.”