A man from China, Maine, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to one count of accessing child pornography with intent to view. According to court records, the investigation began in June 2024 when the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit responded to a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding activity on Kik, a free instant messaging mobile app.
The Cybertip indicated that a Kik user had uploaded multiple videos of child sexual abuse material. The user was later identified as Jeffery Furlong, age 53. Following further investigation, authorities executed a search warrant at Furlong’s residence in October 2024. During the search, Furlong admitted he had obtained multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material on his cellular telephone via Kik. A subsequent search warrant for Furlong’s Kik account revealed additional child sexual abuse material and messages expressing sexual interest in children between six and twelve years old.
Furlong faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and up to lifetime supervised release. Sentencing will occur after completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit conducted the investigation.
According to NCMEC data from 2023, there were 36 million reports related to possession, manufacture or distribution of child sexual abuse materials nationwide (https://report.cybertip.org). Anyone wishing to file a report with NCMEC can do so online or by calling 1-800-843-5678.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state and local agencies (https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc).
"Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as 'child pornography' – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed."
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