BOSTON, Mass. - A New Bedford man was convicted today in federal court of possessing child pornography.

LARRY HEYES, 58, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole to possession of child pornography.

Had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that HEYES knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The images depicted children, among them an infant. Today in open court, the government indicated that HEYES, a registered sex offender who had been previously convicted of rape of a child and a separate child pornography offense, was uploading images of child pornography to a social networking site.

Judge O’Toole scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2011. HEYES has been detained since his arrest and remains in custody pending sentencing. He faces 10-20 years in prison, to be followed by up to lifetime years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, and Robert Bethel, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division, made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the Massachusetts State Police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. In coordination with the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael I. Yoon of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

 

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