FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/MA
CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING
PHONE: (617)748-3356
E-MAIL: USAMA.MEDIA@USDOJ.GOV
CAPE COD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO RECEIVING AND POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
BOSTON, MA – A Hyannis man pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boston, Massachusetts, to receiving and possessing child pornography.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Rita Glavin of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan for the District of Massachusetts; Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Jerry Carmody, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, and Paul B. MacDonald, Chief of Police, Barnstable Police Department, announced today that HARRIS TAUBMAN, 48, of Hyannis, Massachusetts, pled guilty to three counts of Receipt of Child Pornography and one count Possession of Child Pornography.
TAUBMAN was first identified by Barnstable, MA police as a result of a 911 call referencing a neighbor dispute during which TAUBMAN reportedly pointed a loaded shotgun at a neighbor. When police came to TAUBMAN’s residence, they found unlawful ammunition cartridges. A further search pursuant to a search warrant revealed numerous printed images of child pornography. The execution of additional search warrants resulted in the seizure of almost 2,000 computer disks containing child pornography, as well as over 20 computer hard drives.
In total, TAUBMAN possessed tens of thousands of images and videos of child pornography, depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to the Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting the case, it was the largest collection of child pornography recovered from an individual brought before the Massachusetts federal court.
Pursuant to a plea agreement, TAUBMAN agreed to pled guilty to all indicted counts, and, if the plea is accepted by the Court, will serve 84 months in prison, forfeit all seized property, and serve a term of supervised release for ten years. The court deferred formal acceptance of the plea until a Pre-Sentence Report has been conducted by the United States Probation Office. Sentencing is set for March 26, 2009.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana Gershengorn of Sullivan’s Major Crimes Unit, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Barnstable Police Department.
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