Chelsea Man Indicted On Child Exploitation Charges

BOSTON – Elmer Reyes, 32, of Chelsea, was indicted yesterday on charges that he sexually exploited a child. A federal grand jury handed down a two count indictment charging Reyes with producing a pornographic image of a child and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that the conduct occurred on October 1, 2014.

The charging statutes provide a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the child exploitation charge, and no greater than 10 years in prison on the possession of child pornography charge. The charging statutes also provide a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 on each count. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Chelsea Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Child Exploitation Task Force, which is comprised of members from the FBI, the Arlington, Boston, and Malden Police Departments, the Massachusetts State Police, and Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Eve A. Piemonte Stacey and David G. Tobin of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

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 Criminal Division=s CEOS, 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/.

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