Massachusetts Man Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was arrested yesterday and charged in federal court in Boston with child pornography offenses.

Spencer Hughes, 38, of Randolph, was charged in a criminal complaint with receiving and possessing pornographic images and videos of a person under 18 years of age.  Hughes was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 22, 2020 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler.

A search was executed at Hughes’ residence early Tuesday morning, where an external hard drive was discovered on Hughes’ kitchen table containing a folder with numerous pornographic images and videos of a female child appearing to be approximately 10 or 11 years old.  According to the complaint affidavit, the imagery appears to have been produced inside of a bedroom.

The charge of receiving child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.  The charge of possession of child pornography provides for up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael S. Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III, of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The case was 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 exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.