Russell C. Trafford, Child Pornography, Rhode Island 2022

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island – A West Warwick man has pleaded guilty to producing and distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha on March 8, 2023.

Russell C. Trafford, 55, has been convicted of conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The charges stem from Trafford’s production of child pornography through the sexual abuse of a female known to the defendant and his family over a period of 14 years.

According to charging documents, Trafford began producing sexually explicit photographs of the victim when she was just four years old. The abuse lasted for nearly two decades, during which time Trafford created numerous images of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct with himself and other adult men.

The sexually explicit images created by Trafford were seized by members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI during an April 2022 court-authorized search of Trafford’s residence.

Trafford is currently being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) and is facing two counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of first-degree sexual assault in Rhode Island state court.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to produce child pornography and production of child pornography, with a mandatory term of 15 years; possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years of incarceration.

Trafford is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2023. The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of child pornography and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to combat this heinous crime.

As the investigation continues, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI remain committed to protecting the children of Rhode Island from predators like Russell C. Trafford.

This article is based on a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.

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