Massachusetts Man Arrested and Charged in Child Pornography Case

WASHINGTON—A Lowell, Massachusetts man charged with transportation and possession of child pornography made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Boston, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts, and Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers of the FBI Boston Division.

William H. Noble, 46, of Lowell, was charged in an indictment unsealed yesterday with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Noble was arrested yesterday in the District of Massachusetts.

According to the indictment, in April 2009, Noble allegedly transported visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also alleges that Noble possessed additional images of child pornography.

In a separate indictment unsealed in the District of Massachusetts on Aug. 17, 2011, Steven Saunders, 28, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Saunders, a current resident of Chula Vista, Calif., and a former resident of Groton, Mass., was arrested on Aug. 17, 2011, in the Southern District of California. According to the indictment, on April 15, 2009, Saunders allegedly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The maximum sentence for each count of possession of child pornography is 10 years in prison, lifetime supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence for each count of transportation of child pornography is 20 years in prison, lifetime supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

These cases are being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Thomas Franzinger of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael I. Yoon of District of Massachusetts Major Crimes Unit. The cases are being investigated by the FBI. The Groton Police Department is also investigating the case against Noble.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov/.