Updated 2:02 p.m. ET, 1/24/2014
(CNN) - A former U.S. Senate aide who was charged last month with possessing child pornography was found dead Thursday in a Maryland home where he's been living with relatives, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office in Maryland said.
Investigators preliminarily believe Jesse Ryan Loskarn "may have taken his own life," the office said.
His parents, Chuck and Gay Loskarn, issued a statement saying they are "devastated" by his death and asked for privacy.
"We loved our son very much," they said. "Pray for him, his family and friends."
Loskarn, 35, was U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander's chief of staff when Loskarn was arrested in December. Alexander, R-Tennessee, quickly replaced him.
An affidavit from a U.S. postal inspector alleged Loskarn made several purchases in 2010 and 2011 from a Canadian company selling sexually explicit DVDs and streaming videos, the majority of which featured underage nude boys.
Federal investigators also said that in October, child pornography files were being offered for download on an Internet peer-to-peer network linked to Loskarn's residential IP address.
It included a 28-minute video of graphic material featuring children reportedly as young as 6 years old, authorities said.
Loskarn, a Maryland native who had previously worked for two Republican House members and the House Rules Committee and the Senate Republican Conference, did not enter a plea during an appearance in U.S. District Court on January 12.
And the blame the President cacophony will fire up in 3... 2... 1...
If only it ended this way for all pedos
Good...He did the right thing.
Finally, a member of Congress getting a punishment that fit the crime!!
Doesn`t surprise me, this guy was mentally ill.
Awe, the poor thing.
If only the rest of the GOP clowns and the political ticker blog hosts would follow suit.
Well, well, what a surprise.
GOP, sandusky, lawrence king, loskarn, franklin scandal, johnny goesch, catholic church, all conservative pedos
Well, glad he offed himself there is nothing more sickening done a pedophile/child molestor. I am not without sin but these guys are sicko's.
Well thats taken care of I guess.
Sick people in this world. Leave the kids alone!
He was obviously going to implicate Gov Chris Christie and was taken out
isn't the GOP the holy part
Thank you for saving the taxpayers from having to pay for your incarceration.
Excellant news.
Typical Republican coward
That's one offender who definitely won't reoffend. Problem solved.
Adios.
Good riddence
Wow.
5... 4... 3... 2... 1...
Here come the anti-GOP commenters!
I think most of us would agree that the world would appreciate if all pedophiles follower Mr. Loskarn's lead and killed themselves.
He had to go before he said something in bring the other creeps down!!!! Thats boys & girls is what we call in house cleaning!!! LOL
Typical Rethuglican all family values and pro life etc.etc. Now at least I know why he was pro life more poor banies born more kids to abuse. All Rethuglicans are hypocrites except when it comes to their stance on the wealthy
There is justice after all!