A Rhode Island man was arrested and charged on July 31 in connection with possession of child sexual abuse material. Frank DeCaro, 47, of Westerly, Rhode Island, faces one count of possession of child pornography and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston at 1 p.m.
According to charging documents, DeCaro is a registered sex offender following a 2014 conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material in Rhode Island state court. He received a probationary sentence for that offense. In November 2025, authorities stopped DeCaro at Boston Logan Airport as he returned from an international trip to Italy. A subsequent search allegedly uncovered multiple images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material on his phone.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to twenty years in prison if convicted due to the prior similar offense. It also includes at least five years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge according to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, and Jennifer B. De La O, Director of Field Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, announced the arrest. The Rhode Island State Police and Westerly Police Department provided assistance during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins from the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 that coordinates federal, state, and local resources to combat child exploitation crimes nationwide.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations; DeCaro is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts enforces federal laws through prosecutions including national security threats and civil rights violations, serves all Massachusetts residents, advances community initiatives on civil rights and violence prevention, maintains facilities at several locations across Massachusetts, employs over 200 staff members, and operates as part of the United States Department of Justice according to the official website.