Indictment Charges Waterbury Man with Using Internet to Entice Minors, Collect Child Pornography

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging JOHN EASTMAN, 48, of Waterbury, with one count of coercion and enticement of minors and one count of possession of child pornography.

The indictment alleges that between June and November 2012, EASTMAN engaged in video chats with minors over the Internet using his computer and online video chatting services such as Skype.  During these video chats, EASTMAN enticed the minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which EASTMAN recorded and/or photographed and then saved on his computer.  In order to deceive and entice the minors, EASTMAN posed as famous singers and musicians that are popular to teenagers.

The indictment further alleges that EASTMAN viewed and downloaded over the Internet other images and videos of child pornography.

EASTMAN has been in state custody since May 2013 when he was arrested on related state charges.

If convicted of coercion and enticement of minors, EASTMAN faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  If convicted of possession of child pornography, he faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.