Braintree Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

BOSTON – A Braintree man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to child pornography charges.

Michael Martin, 44, pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2023 to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Nov. 15, 2023. Martin was initially charged by criminal complaint in May 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2022. 

On March 9, 2021, social media platform Tumblr reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Tumblr user – later identified as Martin – had suspected child pornography on their account. A subsequent search of Martin’s Braintree residence resulted in the seizure of various electronic devices storing child pornography. Additionally, a search of Martin’s Tumblr account determined that Martin has posted and received child pornography over the social media site. The child pornography included images of children believed to be between four and eight years old. 

The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Braintree Police Chief Tim Cohoon made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.