East Bridgewater Man Sentenced for Production, Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

Boston – An East Bridgewater man was sentenced to 17 years in prison on child pornography charges.

Daniel O’Connor Jr., 57, was sentenced on Friday, Dec. 13, 2019 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 17 years in prison, five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution. In September 2019, O’Connor Jr. pleaded guilty to one count each of production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

A forensic review of an iPhone recovered during a search of O’Connor Jr.’s home revealed images of child pornography including approximately 137 images and approximately 26 videos of child pornography. Fifteen of those 26 videos depicted the same 11-year-old girl. O’Connor Jr.’s collection of child pornography included girls between approximately five and 13 years of age. In addition, the cellphone contained multiple apps popular with minors, such as Kik Messenger. A review of O’Connor Jr.’s Kik app revealed chats between him and an 11-year-old girl during which he coerced and persuaded the girl to record and send him sexually explicit videos of herself.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.  In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.