An Agawam man has been charged with possession of child sexual abuse material, as announced on April 30, 2025. Warren Messeck, aged 75, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared initially before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson in Springfield.
Messeck came to the authorities' attention in 2021 as a user of a peer-to-peer network that was used for downloading child sexual abuse materials. A search of his residence led to the discovery of over 40 electronic devices, including laptops and hard drives. A forensic examination allegedly uncovered more than 10,000 files depicting child sexual abuse materials on six of the seized devices.
The possession charge carries a potential sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, a supervised release term ranging from five years to life, and a fine that could reach $250,000. Sentences are decided by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the relevant statutes.
This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division, James Crowley. The Agawam Police Department assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Branch Office.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to fight child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project coordinates federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims. Additional details about the initiative can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
It is important to note that the details in the charging documents are allegations at this point. The defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
