Convicted Sex Offender Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of Children

BOSTON - A Greenfield man was charged in federal court in Springfield yesterday with sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography. 

Charles Fox, 44, was indicted on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of receipt of child pornography. Fox was arrested on June 26, 2019, and charged by criminal complaint.

It is alleged that Fox induced a minor in the Philippines to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of that conduct. According to court documents, Fox induced the minor through Facebook messenger and also received the pornographic images through Facebook messenger. Fox paid for the images through Western Union payments sent to the Philippines.

The charges of sexual exploitation of children and attempted sexual exploitation of a child provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and up to 50 in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $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 Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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