Billerica Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography

Boston – In a stunning revelation from the federal courts, 38-year-old Brian Ashley of Billerica has entered a guilty plea to distributing and possessing child pornography. The charges against Ashley come as part of the Department of Justice’s nationwide Project Safe Childhood initiative aimed at protecting children from exploitation.

Aficionados of Kik Messenger were in for a shock when federal agents in Montana executed a search warrant on February 23, 2016, leading to Ashley’s arrest. During their investigation, agents assumed the identity of a user known as ‘orcusvox,’ who communicated with Ashley online. ‘orcusvox’ exchanged child erotica and pornography over Kik Messenger, ultimately leading to Ashley’s downfall.

Upon confirming that the ‘orcusvox’ account was registered to Brian Ashley, investigators secured a search warrant for his home in Billerica. A forensic examination of Ashley’s cell phone revealed 246 images and 77 videos of child pornography, further solidifying the charges against him. The Kik Messenger user had been accessing the account from both his residence and place of employment.

Should Ashley be sentenced to the maximum penalty for these offenses, he could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and lifetime supervised release. However, actual sentences for federal crimes are generally less severe than the statutory maximums.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordi de Llano and Anne Paruti under the guidance of Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb. The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations in Boston.

Project Safe Childhood, established by the DOJ in 2006, has been instrumental in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those who exploit children online. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.