Chicopee Man Charged For Sexually Exploiting A Child

BOSTON – A Chicopee man and soccer coach was arrested this morning on sexual exploitation of children charges.

Michael DuPont, 36 formerly of Westfield and most recently from Chicopee, was charged by criminal complaint following a search at his residence early this morning. According to the criminal complaint affidavit, on Dec. 26, 2012, Vermont State Police were contacted by a “Minor A” victim’s mother, who reported that on Dec. 19, 2012, she inadvertently discovered inappropriate email correspondence between her minor child and another individual. According to the affidavit, agents met with Minor A who told them that in October 2012, she was contacted by an individual named “Mike” in a chatroom who indicated that he was a 37-year-old soccer coach in Massachusetts. Minor A told “Mike” that she was 14-years-old. It is alleged that Minor A also communicated at times with “Mike” via webcam when she was asked to “put on a show” over the webcam for him. It was later determined by authorities that “Mike” was identified as Dupont.

According to the complaint affidavit, after being advised of his Miranda rights, Mr. Dupont admitted that he has received explicit photos of at least five different girls over the Internet including Minor A and that he had asked Minor A to display herself nude over the webcam. He also admitted that he knew that Minor A was 14 or 15 years old.

If convicted, Dupont faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and maximum of 30 years in prison, to be followed by a mandatory minimum of five years and maximum life term of supervised release.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Chief John R. Ferraro, Jr. of the Chicopee Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Breslow of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.

The charges contained in the complaint are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.