Joshua Pincoske Sentenced to 25 Years of Imprisonment for Production and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Joshua Pincoske, 48, of Concord, New Hampshire, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Concord, New Hampshire to 25 years of imprisonment for the production of child sexual abuse materials (also referred to as child pornography) and possession of child sexual abuse materials. U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante also ordered that Pincoske serve a 10-year term of supervised release after his release from the Bureau of Prisons. Pincoske will be required to register as a sex offender for life.  

According to court records, on February 2, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants authorizing the searches of Pincoske’s residence, his vehicle, and his person after reports that Pincoske had paid two female minors to engage in sexual contact with him. During the execution of the search warrants, law enforcement seized a number of electronic devices, including Pincoske’s cellular phones. Examinations of the contents of Pincoske’s cellular phones revealed numerous visual depictions of minor females engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The investigation identified seven minor victims who were sexually exploited by Pincoske between 2017 and 2021, including children in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont.  

In imposing the sentence, Judge Laplante identified as aggravating factors warranting a lengthy sentence the derogatory statements Pincoske made to victims during the sexual abuse, which were captured by video recordings Pincoske created. Judge Laplante also noted the abuse of trust and authority by Pincoske, who at the time of his criminal conduct was active in coaching and mentoring youth basketball players in the Concord area. Pincoske initially encountered some victims during his involvements with youth basketball.

The resolution of Pincoske’s federal charges occurs in conjunction with coordinated resolutions concerning matters pending before New Hampshire state courts in Merrimack and Strafford Counties. Those resolutions are the subject of separate agreements with the prosecutors in those jurisdictions.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated, “The pattern of predatory victimization of vulnerable children by defendant Pincoske occurred over a lengthy period of time, warranting the significant sentence imposed by the Court. I greatly appreciate the thorough investigatory efforts of the Concord Police Department and the Farmington Police Department.” United States Attorney Kerest also thanked the County Attorney for Merrimack County, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Merrimack County Child Advocacy Center, the Yarmouth, Massachusetts, Police Department, the Bangor, Maine, Police Department, the El Dorado, Kansas, Police Department, and the United States Secret Service for their vital assistance.

“The Concord Police Department believes today’s sentence of Joshua Pincoske does not erase the harm he inflicted upon his victims,” stated Deputy Chief John Thomas, “but it does ensure that others will be protected from his abuse. The sexual exploitation of children by predators like Joshua Pincoske requires decisive action, which is why the Concord Police Department acted so quickly in this case. Thanks to the tireless efforts of a collaborative group of law enforcement professionals and the bravery of those who came forward, he faces a long sentence in federal prison.”

The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont has been appointed to handle this prosecution under the authority described in 28 U.S.C. § 515. The prosecutors assigned to the matter were Jonathan A. Ophardt and Corinne M. Smith, Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Vermont. Pincoske was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Behzad Mirhashem.

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 Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (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.justice.gov/psc.