Hartford, Vermont Man Charged with Production of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on December 18, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Brian Wood, 23, of Hartford, Vermont, with Production of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM, also known as child pornography) and Possession of CSAM.

Wood entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on December 19, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.  Judge Doyle ordered that Wood be detained pending a detention hearing currently scheduled for December 24, 2025.

According to court records, defendant Wood was arrested in February 2025 for Luring a Child after a Hartford Police Department undercover operation. Wood’s cellular phone was seized at the time of this February 2025 arrest. A forensic review of the contents of the cellular phone revealed that between March and May 2023, Wood was messaging with a 14-year-old victim, persuading her to create CSAM of herself, and sending it to Wood. Law enforcement interviewed this victim, who confirmed the messaging, and disclosed that Wood had sexually abused her at a New England Christian music festival the two had attended.

Wood’s unlawful interactions with minors remains the focus of a continued law enforcement investigation. Anyone with information should contact the Hartford, Vermont Police Department.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Wood is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Wood faces up to 30 years of imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of 15 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Hartford, Vermont Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.

The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Wood is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.

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 CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.