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A Worcester man will appear in federal court in Worcester today in connection with possessing child pornography.
James M. Stoddard, 38, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. He will appear in federal court in Worcester today at 2:30 P.M. before U.S. District Court Chief Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy.
According to court documents, in April 2018, authorities conducted a search of Stoddard’s residence in Worcester and located numerous videos and images of child pornography. Among these were videos depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexual acts with adult men. Stoddard was arrested and charged in state court the day of the search and has been in state custody since his arrest.
Court documents also indicate that Stoddard failed to register his current address with the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board despite being required to do so given a prior conviction for a child pornography offense.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime 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; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents 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. 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 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/.
