Mark Hulett Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on January 16, 2020, Mark Hulett, 48, of Ferrisburgh, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court in Rutland to serve 120 months in prison after his guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography.  Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Hulett to serve a ten-year term of supervised release, and to pay a $100 special assessment. 

According to court records, the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which reported that a file depicting child pornography had been uploaded to an Internet search engine.  Subsequent investigation of the CyberTip revealed that the file had been uploaded from Hulett’s residence in Ferrisburgh.  On May 14, 2019, members of law enforcement executed a search warrant at that residence and recovered Hulett’s computer and phone.  A forensic search of those devices revealed that Hulett possessed over 2,000 images of child pornography, including images depicting prepubescent minor children.

Hulett was previously convicted in 2005, in Vermont Superior Court, of aggravated sexual assault and lewd and lascivious conduct with a child.

U.S. Attorney Nolan commended the efforts of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara A. Masterson and Spencer Willig handled the prosecution of Hulett.  Assistant Federal Public Defender David L. McColgin represented Hulett. 

U.S. Attorney Nolan noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.