A Hebron, Maine man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to charges of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Court documents show that Steven Parker, 47, sent a video file containing child sexual abuse material to an undercover agent using a messaging application. In August 2024, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) and the FBI executed a search warrant at Parker’s home, seizing several digital media devices with files of child sexual abuse material. During an interview with investigators, Parker admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing such material online.
Parker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and could receive up to 20 years if convicted. He also faces a maximum fine of $250,000 and may be subject to supervised release for life. Sentencing will take place after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI and MSPCCU.
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), there were 36 million reports related to child sexual abuse materials in 2023 alone. The public can file reports with NCMEC through their website at https://report.cybertip.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 that coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to combat child exploitation on the internet and help identify victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at 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," according to information provided regarding reporting incidents.
If you are in Maine and need assistance related to sexual assault or abuse, help is available through a free statewide helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
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