Massachusetts Man Arrested for Distributing Child Pornography After Being Released from Jail Due to COVID-19

            CONCORD – Russell Graham, 40, of Lowell, Massachusetts was arrested on a federal complaint charging him with distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            The complaint filed in court alleges that in early May 2020, an undercover officer in New Hampshire met Graham in an internet chatroom and that Graham soon began sending the undercover officer videos and images of child pornography. Graham also told the undercover officer that he was wearing an ankle bracelet and had been released from jail because of COVID-19. According to court documents, Graham had in fact been in jail for child pornography-related charges in Massachusetts and was released on April 9, 2020, with a GPS ankle bracelet.

            Graham was arrested on May 22, 2020, and appeared before a federal magistrate judge today. He was detained pending further proceedings.

            The charges in the complaint are only allegations.  The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            The case was investigated by the Nashua Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.

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