A Salem emergency medical technician, Connor McAuliffe, was arrested on August 6 following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Authorities allege that McAuliffe, age 34, received and possessed child sexual abuse material.
Investigators claim McAuliffe was an active participant in a large private encrypted messaging group used for trading child sexual abuse material. The group reportedly included over 1,000 members from various countries. According to officials, further inquiries revealed that McAuliffe belonged to at least 14 other similar chat groups on the same application.
Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New England, stated: “As alleged, Connor McAuliffe was serving in a position of public trust — in a role that often exposed him to vulnerable populations, including children — when he was arrested for what can only be described as despicable crimes. Protecting minors from individuals like this defendant is not only paramount; it’s personal. HSI New England is committed to utilizing every tool at our disposal in protecting our community’s kids.”
Additional details about the case are available on Justice.gov.
