Boston Man Indicted On Child Pornography Charges

BOSTON - A Hyde Park man was indicted yesterday, charged with producing child pornography.

Geraldo Christiano DeSouza, 42, was indicted on possession of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, production of child pornography, and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor.

In October 2012, an undercover officer accessed a peer-to-peer file sharing program and located a host computer that offered files indicative of child pornography for sharing.  Two of the files downloaded by the officer contained child pornography.  A search warrant was executed at DeSouza’s apartment, and officers seized four laptops and other computer media from his room.  The indictment alleges that child pornography was found on all four laptops, as well as evidence that DeSouza had engaged in sexual activity with minors.  DeSouza also "chatted" with these minor victims using various forms of social media and webcam, and directed the minors to display themselves in a sexually explicit manner. Using his cell phone, DeSouza allegedly also filmed himself having sexual intercourse with minors.

If convicted, DeSouza faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on the charge of possession of child pornography; a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison on the charge of distribution of child pornography; a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison on the charge of production of child pornography; and a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of a lifetime in prison on the charge of coercion and enticement of a minor.  DeSouza also faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each count.  

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Eve A. Piemonte Stacey of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.