Fast-rising GOP operative hangs self after child pornography probe

Jesse Ryan Loskarn, 35, a former aide to U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, who hanged himself to death Thursday in his Maryland home after investigations on charges of possessing and distributing child pornography. / neswoxy.com

By Lee Kyung-min

Jesse Ryan Loskarn, 35, a former aide to U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, hanged himself to death Thursday in his Maryland home after investigations on charges of possessing and distributing child pornography, the Carroll County Sheriff's Department said Friday.

He became staff director of the Republican Conference in 2009 when Alexander assumed control of the office.

Loskarn was arraigned last month on child pornography charges when police recovered a hard drive from the roof that contained digital videos of child pornography.

According to the investigators, Loskarn purchased the videos between November 2010 and March 2011 from a movie production company that was under investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Toronto Police Service.

“For everyone involved, this is a sad and tragic story from beginning to end," his former boss Alexander announced on Friday in a press release.

A first time offender convicted of transporting, receiving, distributing, possessing with intent to distribute or sell, or producing of child pornography faces fines and a mandatory minimum of 5 years to 20 years maximum in prison.