Grand Jury Indicts Mass. Man on Child Pornography Charges

PROVIDENCE, RI – A federal grand jury in Providence returned a three-count indictment today charging a Boston area man with travelling to Rhode Island in October 2017 for the purpose of transporting and distributing child pornography.

It is alleged in court documents that Fetahe Makonnen, 34, of Malden, Mass., travelled from Massachusetts to Rhode Island on October 28, 2017, and brought with him digital storage devices containing hundreds of videos and images of child pornography, which he provided to an undercover Rhode Island State Police detective.

Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Michael S. Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England announce the indictment which charges Makonnen with transportation, possession and distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents, it is alleged that in July 2017, Makonnen began engaging in online communications about sharing child pornography with a member of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Makonnen resumed communicating with the detective on September 16, 2017, with discussions centered around his interests in viewing child pornography involving prepubescent minors between 1 year and 13 years of age.

On October 27, 2017, it is alleged that Makonnen agreed to travel to Rhode Island the next day to meet with the person he had been communicating with and to view child pornography. He agreed to bring with him images and videos of child pornography. When they met, it is alleged that Makonnen provided an undercover ICAC Task Force detective with two thumb drives, which the detective opened on his laptop computer. It is alleged both thumb drives contained images and videos depicting child pornography involving prepubescent children.

Makonnen was arrested on a Rhode Island state charge and ordered held on $10,000 surety bail. A federal criminal complaint was filed in this matter on November 9, 2017, and Makonnen was ordered detained in federal custody.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Transportation and distribution of child pornography are punishable by statutory penalties of a 5-20 years imprisonment and up to lifetime supervised release. Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and lifetime supervised release.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.

The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force, including law enforcement personnel from Homeland Security Investigations. The ICAC Task Force is comprised of law enforcement personnel from the Rhode Island State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Services, and the Warwick, Cranston, East Providence, Newport, Pawtucket, North Kingstown, Portsmouth, and Woonsocket Police Departments.

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