A Biddeford man received a 10-year prison sentence on Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sex abuse materials. Jeffrey Gray, 63, will also undergo a lifetime of supervised release following the completion of his prison term. Gray had entered a guilty plea on February 13, 2023.
Court records indicate that federal agents conducted a search of Gray’s home in September 2022 after reports suggested he shared child sexual abuse materials via a peer-to-peer file sharing network. Eight electronic devices were confiscated during the initial search. A subsequent search in November 2022 led to the seizure of three additional devices. A forensic examination of these devices uncovered hundreds of images depicting child sexual abuse. Gray has a prior conviction for aggravated felonious sexual assault from 2012 in Rockingham County, New Hampshire.
The investigation was carried out by Homeland Security Investigations in conjunction with the Maine State Police.
For those needing to report incidents involving child sexual abuse material, which legally falls under the term "child pornography," it is important to be aware that these materials document the abuse and exploitation of children. Such images lead to revictimization each time they are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports concerning the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. Reports can be filed at https://report.cybertip.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678. For individuals in Maine who have been sexually assaulted or abused, support is available via the 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
This case forms part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006. The project aims to combat the increasing cases of child sexual exploitation and abuse. It is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, utilizing federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute offenders and aid victims. Further information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
