A Pittsfield man, Justin Benoit, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to child exploitation. The plea was entered during the trial while testimony from the government's final witness was ongoing. Benoit, 39, admitted to five counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni has set sentencing for August 20, 2025. Benoit has been in custody since his arrest on February 15, 2022, and faces several related state charges pending in Central Berkshire District Court.
Court records reveal that between February 2021 and February 2022, Benoit exploited minor victims known to him to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM). A search of his residence uncovered over 250 CSAM files on his tablet, including about 100 files depicting Benoit raping minor victims.
The charge of sexual exploitation carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, along with a lifetime of supervised release and a potential fine of $250,000. Possession of child pornography can result in up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Colonel Geoffrey Noble from the Massachusetts State Police; and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge at the FBI's Boston Division. The Pittsfield Police Department and the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Jessica L. Soto are prosecuting.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 aimed at protecting children from exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources.
