BOSTON – A Salem, Mass. man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Andrew R. Sorrento, 35, pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2024.
In July 2022, Sorrento was identified as an individual distributing CSAM via social media and text messages. During a search of Sorrento’s Salem residence on Dec. 9, 2022, his cell phone was seized and found to contain 23 images and seven videos depicting CSAM – including images of a child under 12-years-old.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Calgary (Canada). Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit 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 by the Department of Justice. 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
