A Portsmouth man has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possessing more than 7,000 digital images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Joseph Seymour, 40, pleaded guilty in October 2017 to possession of child pornography. He was arrested on December 21, 2016, after a forensic examination of a digital hard drive revealed over 7,000 images and videos of child pornography stored in more than 160 subfolders.
The digital hard drive was sent to a computer repair service in Tempe, Arizona, where it was discovered that it contained images that appeared to be child pornography. The Tempe Police Department contacted the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which then transferred the hard drive to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) for further examination.
The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range of imprisonment in this matter is 78-98 months. However, the government recommended a sentence of 30 months in prison, which was accepted by the court.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., also ordered Seymour to serve 5 years supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration, pay restitution totaling $15,000 to 15 identified victims who made restitution claims, and a $5,000 special assessment imposed as required by statute in child sexual exploitation cases where the Court makes a finding that the defendant is not indigent.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, and the Rhode Island State Police were also involved in the investigation and prosecution of Seymour.
Seymour’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes