Gorham Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

PORTLAND, Maine: A Gorham man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. 

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Cody J. Merrill, 33, to 25 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Additionally, Judge Walker ordered Merrill to pay $105,000 in restitution to identified victims whose images he possessed. Merrill pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025.

According to court records, Merrill, who had been previously convicted of unlawful sexual conduct involving a minor in York County Superior Court, sent video files depicting child sexual abuse material to undercover agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) over a messaging application. In February 2025, HSI executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple digital media devices. During a recorded interview with investigators, Merrill admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material over various internet-based applications. Investigators forensically reviewed his devices and located over 5,000 child sexual abuse images. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the privacy of the minor victims who were depicted in these abuse materials.

HSI investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.