Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Patrik
Arsenault, 27, most recently of Norridgewock, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court
in Bangor to sexual exploitation of a minor and transportation, receipt and possession of child
pornography. He was indicted on the charges on Oct. 16, 2013.
According to court records, in June and July of 2013, the defendant, a former special
education teacher, sexually abused three minors and recorded images and videos of the
abuse. The defendant then sent recordings of the abuse of two of the minors, as well as other
images of child pornography, to several e-mail trading partners. The defendant also received
images of child pornography from his trading partners. On Aug. 21, 2013, law enforcement
agents seized a hard drive during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s
residence. A forensic examination revealed videos of the defendant’s abuse of the two minors
and over 7,500 images and 250 videos depicting child pornography.
“I would like to thank my agents for their tireless efforts, in pursuing those individuals
who would use their position of trust to carry out these unthinkable acts", said Bruce Foucart,
special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI) in Boston. “I would also like to thank our partners in the Maine State Police
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit for their constant support and dedication in
tackling these disturbing types of crimes."
Arsenault faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison on the
sexual exploitation charges, a minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison on the
transportation and receipt of child pornography charges, and up to 20 years in prison on the child
pornography possession charge. He also faces a fine of up to a $250,000 on each count. He will
be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation
Office.
The investigation was conducted jointly by HSI, the Maine State Police, and the Maine
State Police Computer Crimes Unit. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a
nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing
epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the
Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals
federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who
exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information
about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
