PHILADELPHIA — A former police officer with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Friday for distribution and possession of illegal material involving minors, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Brian Zenszer, 44, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III to 144 months in prison, followed by seven years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $32,000 in restitution.
Zenszer was indicted in December 2024 and pleaded guilty in April to one count of distribution and one count of possession of unlawful images involving minors.
Federal investigators began examining the case after receiving two tips through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to accounts on the Kik messaging platform. The accounts were found to be uploading suspected illegal content and were later traced back to Zenszer.
According to court records, Zenszer distributed a file on July 21, 2024, and was later found to be in possession of additional content on a Samsung cellular phone on November 6, 2024. Authorities confirmed that some of the content involved victims who had not yet reached the age of 12.
At the time of the offenses, Zenszer was employed as a SEPTA police officer.
“Brian Zenszer broke the law while sworn to uphold it,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf. “Those who trade in this content perpetuate harm and must be held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and supported by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Zenszer will remain under federal supervision for seven years following his release.
