Former National Guardsman pleads guilty to child pornography charges

A former member of the Massachusetts National Guard, Nicholas Wells, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to charges of possession and distribution of child pornography. Wells, 44, previously served as a Master Sergeant with the 102 Security Forces stationed in Sandwich, Massachusetts.

The plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, who set sentencing for January 6, 2026. Wells had been indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024.

According to authorities, Wells used a messaging application to discuss his interest in minors and distributed videos containing child pornography. Investigators found more than 300 images and 100 videos depicting child pornography on his phone. It was also determined that he distributed over 70 videos, some involving infants.

The charge of possessing child pornography carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. The charge of distributing child pornography provides for a sentence ranging from five to twenty years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by the judge based on federal guidelines and statutes.

"United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Barnstable and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case."

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.