Former Air Force Member Sentenced for Child Pornography Offenses

BOSTON – A former Air Force staff sergeant was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for receiving and possessing child pornography depicting prepubescent girls engaged in sex acts with men.

John Tran, 30, of Waltham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to five years in prison and five years of supervised release.  On March 23, 2017, Tran pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography.

Tran was arrested on Nov. 16, 2015, at his home in Waltham after law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at his residence and found child pornography on his computer. Tran used his computer to access child pornography websites known by federal authorities. Investigators became aware of Tran’s illegal activities while monitoring the specific website used by Tran. In their search, investigators found 11 videos containing child pornography and a number of still images of child pornography on Tran’s computer.   

 Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Waltham Police Chief Keith MacPherson made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.