A Chicopee man, Carl Norton, Jr., has been arrested for allegedly transferring obscene material to a victim believed to be a 12-year-old girl. Norton, aged 37, faces one count related to the transfer of such material. He was detained following his arrest on April 11, 2025, after appearing in federal court in Springfield. A hearing is set for April 16, 2025.
Authorities report that Norton engaged in a series of exchanges via Snapchat with the minor from February to June 2024. He allegedly sent multiple obscene media files, including self-produced adult pornography. Norton is also accused of requesting explicit images from the minor and proposing to meet her, discussing explicit details of their potential meeting.
Norton, a Level 3 sex offender, has previous convictions for attempted rape and illegal contact with a minor. The charge he faces could lead to a prison sentence of up to 10 years, along with supervised release and substantial fines, as per federal guidelines.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Acting Special Agent in Charge James Crowley of the FBI Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Barnico, Jr. is handling the prosecution. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the DOJ aimed at tackling child sexual exploitation launched in 2006.
The charges against Norton remain as allegations, with the presumption of innocence maintained until proven otherwise in court.
