BOSTON–A former Massachusetts man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to possessing and distributing child pornography, and to failing to register as a sex offender. The offenses stem from two separate cases.
These guilty pleas resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Colorado; the Adams County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Department; Connecticut State Police; Quincy (Massachusetts) Police Department; and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Scot Letourneau, 44, formerly of Quincy, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography; and in a separate case, he pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper scheduled sentencing for Feb. 27, 2018.
In early 2015, law enforcement officers learned that an individual was trading images of child pornography on Kik Messenger, an instant messaging application, with an individual in Connecticut. Further investigation linked the Kik Messenger account to Letourneau. On May 21, 2015, a search warrant was executed at Letourneau’s home, when a preliminary review of his cellphone revealed that he exchanged images of child pornography with others. Forensic analysis revealed that Letourneau had a collection of approximately 103 videos and more than 500 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and acts.
After he was arrested and charged in May 2015, the government sought to detain Letourneau pending trial based on his prior convictions, including a 2004 conviction in New Hampshire for distribution of child pornography. However, on Aug. 5, 2015, the court released Letourneau on an electronic bracelet and home confinement. On Nov. 3, 2015, Letourneau fled to New Mexico; he was apprehended in Denver in March 2017.
In addition, as a result of his 2004 conviction, Letourneau is required to register as a sex offender, which he failed to do while living in New Mexico as a fugitive under an alias.
Due to Letourneau’s previous child pornography conviction, the current charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and no greater than 40 years in prison; and the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum of 10 years and no greater than 20 years in prison. Both charges provide for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of failure to register as a sex offender provides for no greater than 10 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
