BOSTON – Sean Pettigrew, a 50-year-old Fitchburg resident, has been slammed with federal charges for allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via Kik Messenger.
Pettigrew faces one count of distribution of child pornography. The arrest came today, and he’s staring down the barrel of detention as he awaits a hearing on July 18, 2025, in Worcester federal court.
According to the charges, which surfaced in April 2025, Pettigrew was pegged as an active participant in a Kik Messenger group dedicated to child sexual abuse. The feds claim that Pettigrew swapped out multiple images of CSAM in private messages with an undercover agent posing as a chat member. A subsequent sweep of his Kik account unearthed further claims that he had dispatched numerous CSAM files to other users on the app.
For those with questions, concerns, or information about this case, the number to call is 617-748-3274. The charge of distribution of child pornography comes with a heavy penalty: at least five years and up to 20 years in the clink, not to mention supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, broke the news today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett is handling the prosecution out of the Worcester Branch Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national crackdown on child sexual exploitation and abuse launched by the DOJ back in May 2006. The initiative mobilizes federal, state, and local resources to track down predators, nab suspects, and bring them to justice. For more about Project Safe Childhood, check out this link.
The details outlined in the charging document are mere allegations at this stage. Pettigrew is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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