Case overview
On January 1, 2002, 13-year-old Alicia Kozakiewicz was abducted from her home in Crafton, Pennsylvania, by a 38-year-old computer programmer she had met in an internet chat room. She was held captive in a basement in Herndon, Virginia, for four days before FBI agents rescued her following a tip generated by a suspect image uploaded online.
The disappearance
Alicia Kozakiewicz was last seen at her home on New Year’s Day 2002. She had been communicating online with someone she believed was a teenage boy. The person was Scott Tyree, a 38-year-old man living in Virginia. Tyree had built the relationship over several months through chat rooms and instant messaging.
When Alicia did not appear for a family dinner that evening, her parents searched the house and realized she was gone. Her coat and shoes were missing. There were no signs of forced entry, and no witnesses reported seeing her leave.
Her family contacted the Allegheny County Police Department immediately. Investigators identified that Alicia had been active in online chat rooms and began reviewing her computer activity. That digital review revealed ongoing communication with Tyree, who had arranged to meet her in person.
The abduction and captivity
Tyree drove from Virginia to Pennsylvania and picked up Alicia near her home. He transported her across state lines to his residence in Herndon, where he held her in a basement. During her captivity, Tyree physically and sexually assaulted her and recorded portions of the abuse.
Alicia was restrained and kept in the basement for the duration of her captivity. Tyree uploaded images of the abuse to the internet, which later became central to her rescue.
The break in the case
On January 4, 2002, a tip was submitted to the FBI’s National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip came from someone who had seen an image online that appeared to show a young girl being assaulted. The image matched details from the missing person report on Alicia Kozakiewicz.
FBI agents traced the IP address associated with the uploaded image to Scott Tyree’s residence in Herndon. The interstate nature of the crime brought federal resources into the investigation immediately.
Agents moved quickly. On the same day the tip was received, FBI personnel from the Pittsburgh and Washington field offices coordinated a raid on Tyree’s home.
The rescue
FBI agents executed a search warrant at Tyree’s residence on January 4, 2002. Alicia was found alive in the basement. She had been held captive for four days. Tyree was arrested at the scene without incident.
Alicia was transported to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. Her family was notified immediately. The rescue concluded one of the first widely publicized cases involving the abduction of a minor through internet contact.
The investigation and evidence
Federal investigators recovered substantial digital and physical evidence from Tyree’s home, including computer equipment, recordings, and materials that documented the abuse. Forensic analysis of Tyree’s computer confirmed the communications with Alicia and the uploads that had led to the FBI tip.
Prosecutors used the evidence to build charges under federal kidnapping and child exploitation statutes. The interstate nature of the crime and the use of the internet to facilitate the abduction placed the case under federal jurisdiction.
Tyree was charged with kidnapping, sexual exploitation of a child, and related offenses. He entered a guilty plea in 2003.
Sentencing and aftermath
Scott Tyree was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison. He was also required to register as a sex offender and faced lifelong supervised release conditions upon completion of his sentence. Tyree was released to a halfway house in 2019 after serving his full term.
Alicia Kozakiewicz became an advocate for internet safety and child protection following her recovery. She has testified before Congress, worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and spoken publicly about online predation and survivor recovery.
The case became a reference point in law enforcement training on internet crimes against children. It contributed to the development of protocols for tracking digital communications and responding to online predator activity.
Legal and policy impact
The Alicia Kozakiewicz kidnapping influenced federal policy on internet safety and child protection. In 2008, Congress passed Alicia’s Law, which allocates funding to state and local law enforcement agencies for training, investigation, and prosecution of internet crimes against children. The law has been enacted in multiple states.
The case also underscored the role of digital evidence in kidnapping investigations and the importance of rapid federal coordination in cases involving interstate abduction. It became a model for interagency response when online activity is linked to missing person cases.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Alicia Kozakiewicz: Courage Beyond the Keyboard” (Investigation Discovery)
- Book: “Alicia: My Story” by Alicia Kozakiewicz
- Podcast: “Alicia Kozakiewicz” (“Crime Junkie”, Audiochuck)
