Brighton Man Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

BOSTON – A Brighton man was arrested and charged today in federal court in Boston with receipt and possession of child pornography.

Hanford Chiu, 28, was charged with one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. Chiu appeared before Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell, who ordered him detained pending a probable cause and detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 24, 2018.

According to court records, a search warrant was executed at Chiu’s residence in Brighton and preliminary on-scene forensic analysis of one of several pieces of computer equipment seized pursuant to the warrant revealed thousands of images of child pornography. 

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison. Both charges also provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.  In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.  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/.