Ross Lopata, Child Pornography Offenses, Massachusetts 2020

A disturbing case of child exploitation has come to light with the guilty plea of Ross Lopata, a 33-year-old Springfield man.

Lopata pleaded guilty to four counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in federal court in Springfield today. The disturbing offenses took place on various dates between December 17, 2018, and June 11, 2020, when Lopata downloaded image and video files from the internet that depicted prepubescent children engaged in sex acts.

Lopata was arrested on June 11, 2020, and has been in custody since then. His sentencing is scheduled for November 12, 2021.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.

The case is a stark reminder of the importance of addressing child exploitation and the need for continued vigilance in protecting our children from predators.

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