Concord - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Eric Treantos, 38, of Lynn, Massachusetts was sentenced today to serve 210 months in prison for child pornography offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August of 2015, a police officer in Australia was conducting an undercover investigation into possible possession and distribution of child pornography through the internet. The officer identified a suspect who had posted suspicious images, including a number of images depicting a girl who appeared to be under the age of 10. The undercover police officer and the suspect later exchanged emails and the suspect sent the officer additional images of the same young girl.
An investigation into the email account showed that the suspect was in New Hampshire when he sent emails to the undercover police officer in Australia. Investigators later identified the suspect as Treantos. Treantos was arrested on Sept. 23, 2015, and has been in custody since that date.
Treantos pleaded guilty on July 31, 2017, to possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. After his prison sentence, Treantos will be on supervised release for the rest of his life.
“The distribution of child pornography is a particularly horrific crime that can gravely damage its innocent victims," said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with its law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who exploit children by distributing these terrible images. This case is yet another example of that great teamwork."
“Today’s significant sentence is a clear demonstration of the consequences awaiting, and should serve as a sobering reminder to, those who engage in the possession and distribution of child pornography" said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent In Charge, U.S. Immigrations and Customs and Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston “We strongly applaud the close coordination among our Australian partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) with our team of dedicated HSI agents that brought about this sentencing. This case highlights the critical importance of local, state, federal and international law enforcement cooperation in fighting the growth of these very disturbing crimes that can reach from local communities out across the world and back again."
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs and Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Boston, with assistance from Queensland Police Service in Australia, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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
