Hanson Man Sentenced for Child Sexual Exploitation

BOSTON – A Hanson man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sending sexually explicit messages to two pre-teen girls.

Mark L. Leach, 49, was sentenced by U.S District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release.  Upon completion of his sentence, Leach is required to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any community where he resides. On March 1, 2017, Leach pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.

In 2016, law enforcement officers learned that Leach, using the Skype screen name “funtimehockey,” had sent sexually explicit messages via text, live video and audio to two pre-teen girls. One of the girls occasionally babysat for Leach’s daughter.  The victims told law enforcement officers that Leach asked them to send him naked and sexually explicit pictures of themselves.  Leach also sent naked and sexually explicit pictures of himself to the victims.

During an interview with law enforcement following his arrest, Leach admitted that he set up the Skype account to communicate with these minor victims and others, and that he frequently requested that they expose themselves to him during the conversations.  Leach also admitted that when the minor victim babysat for his daughter, he would expose himself and masturbate in front of her.

Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Richard D. McKeon Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch; and Whitman Police Chief Scott D. Benton, made the announcement today. The Waltham Police Department also assisted with the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.