Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A former fellow in pediatric cardiac anesthesiology at Boston Children’s Hospital, Christopher Sheerer, 37, of Boston, pleaded guilty to charges related to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The plea was entered before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper, who scheduled sentencing for December 18, 2025. Sheerer has been held in federal custody since his arrest in July 2024.
Sheerer previously held a fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore before joining Boston Children’s Hospital.
The investigation began in May 2024 when authorities identified a user on an encrypted chat application participating in a group described as a forum for “dads, uncles, and babysitters” to share illicit material and arrange meetings. Entry into the group required prospective members to upload a nude photo of a child under 13 with a handwritten sign showing the group’s name. Investigators traced the target user’s IP address to Johns Hopkins University and identified Sheerer as the individual who uploaded imagery of a child known to him.
Following his arrest, law enforcement searched Sheerer’s Boston residence and found multiple chats on his phone containing images and videos appearing to be CSAM involving children as young as infants. Authorities seized several devices for forensic analysis, which revealed that Sheerer participated in dozens of chats exchanging CSAM through the encrypted application. Forensic examination also uncovered pornographic images of the child known to Sheerer that appeared to have been created in 2023.
The statutory penalties for these offenses are significant. Distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to 20 years in prison; possession carries up to 20 years; and sexual exploitation of children mandates between 15 and 30 years imprisonment. Each charge includes at least five years up to lifetime supervised release and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing will follow federal guidelines set by statute.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today.” Valuable assistance came from other U.S. Attorney’s Offices—including those from Maryland and Pennsylvania—Homeland Security Investigations units from Baltimore and Harrisburg, as well as the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Soto and Anne Paruti are prosecuting this case.
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.” The project brings together federal, state, and local resources aimed at locating offenders who exploit children while also seeking out victims for rescue efforts.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood: https://www.justice.gov/psc
