Auburn Man Charged in Superseding Indictment with Child Pornography Offenses

BOSTON – An Auburn man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on child pornography offenses.

Jesse Laino, 25, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of distribution of child pornography. The original indictment charged Laino with one count of possession of child pornography. Laino was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on July 22, 2020.

According to the charging documents, from about January 2019 to July 2020, Laino distributed child pornography. In July 2020, a search of Laino’s residence resulted in the seizure of electronic devices that contained images and videos of child pornography.

The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five and up to 40 years in prison, at least five and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Auburn Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, Jr.; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the 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. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.