Cambridge Teacher Charged With Transportation Of Child Pornography

BOSTON – A Cambridge elementary school teacher was charged today with transporting child pornography.

Josh Wairi, 27, of Somerville, was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with transportation of child pornography. Wairi is being held without bail pending a detention and probable cause hearing which is scheduled for April 23, 2014 at 2:30 pm.

The complaint alleges, among other things, that Wairi, a fifth grade teacher, used his email account to trade and receive images of child pornography and also uploaded images and videos of children being sexually exploited. The complaint further alleges that Wairi transferred the images and videos of child pornography to other users.

If convicted, Wairi faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years of in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Acting Somerville Chief of Police Charles Femino, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Ortiz's Major Crimes Unit.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.

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

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 better 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/.