A Gorham resident, Cody J. Merrill, 33, has entered a guilty plea in the U.S. District Court in Portland on charges related to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. The case, investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), revealed that Merrill had previously been convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in York County Superior Court.
Court records show that Merrill distributed a video file containing child sexual abuse material to an undercover HSI Special Agent via a messaging app. A search warrant executed at his residence in February 2025 led to the discovery of several digital media devices harboring similar illicit content. In discussions with investigators, Merrill admitted to engaging with such material online.
Merrill is facing significant legal consequences, including a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, alongside potential fines reaching $250,000 and life-long supervised release. Sentencing will occur post-completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will consider various factors including the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines before determining the final sentence.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reported receiving 36 million notifications related to child sexual abuse materials in 2023 alone. To report incidents involving such materials or if you need assistance due to sexual assault or abuse in Maine, contact NCMEC at https://report.cybertip.org or call their hotline at 1-800-843-5678. Additionally, Maine's statewide sexual assault helpline is available at 1-800-871-7741.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at tackling child exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts across federal, state, and local levels.
