By Ralph Iannotti

BRENTWOOD (KDKA) — A Brentwood man was arrested in his car near his home on charges stemming from the online exploitation of children.

Russell R. Freed, 43, is lodged in the Allegheny County Jail with no bail at least until a Friday detention hearing in federal court.

Federal court documents say that Freed solicited pornographic photographs from at least three teenage girls on a cell phone.

The investigation was launched in Ross Township last fall when a 15-year-old girl said she sent a topless photo of herself to someone she thought was a juvenile male friend who had changed his cell phone number.

But, investigators said the cell phone, in fact, was one determined to be used by Freed.

The FBI said in court papers that Freed sent additional messages to the girl, asking for more explicit photos, and if he didn’t get them, he threatened to send the teen’s first topless photo to her family, friends and classmates.

“We believe, as we continue to investigate … we feel we will uncover more victims,” Ross Township Detective Brian Kohlhepp said.

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