An Andover resident, Dale Howe, 37, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the production and possession of child sexual abuse material. The plea was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack.
Howe admitted guilt to three counts of Production of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography. Sentencing is set for November 5, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro.
Court documents state that Howe provided drugs to a minor victim and sexually assaulted the victim. He produced images documenting the abuse, which were later discovered on his phone during a search. Authorities found that Howe distributed at least three images via a social media platform and possessed more than 3,500 additional files containing unrelated child sexual abuse material.
The statutory penalties for Production of Child Pornography include a minimum prison term of 15 years and up to 30 years, with fines reaching $250,000 and supervised release for at least five years. For Possession of Child Pornography, the maximum sentence is ten years in prison, with similar financial penalties and supervised release requirements. Final sentencing decisions will be made by the federal district court judge according to relevant guidelines and statutes.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the Andover Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office, New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), and Derry Police Department. Assistant U.S Attorneys Heather A. Cherniske and Anna Z. Krasinski are handling prosecution.
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