Nashua Man Guilty of Child Porn Possession

Nashua Man Guilty of Child Porn Possession

A Nashua man has pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

34-year-old Brian Eric Hynes pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in federal court. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for August 15, 2024.

According to court documents, law enforcement reviewed chat rooms on the Viber app in August 2021 and discovered an individual with the username ‘John ketg’ sharing child sexual abuse material. The username was traced back to Hynes.

In February 2022, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Hynes’ electronic devices. When executing the warrant, officers saw Hynes sitting in his vehicle, initially refusing to comply with their commands. A forensic examination of the phone recovered approximately 1,150 child sexual abuse images.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material. However, if the material depicts a prepubescent minor or minor younger than 12, the maximum sentence is 20 years in prison.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Homeland Security Investigations and the Nashua Police Department led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and Kasey Weiland prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Childhood has been a ongoing effort to combat child sexual exploitation since its launch in May 2006. The initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.

Hynes’ sentencing is scheduled for August 15, 2024. The maximum sentence for his crime is 20 years in prison, and will be determined by U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.