Randolph Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

 BOSTON – A federal grand jury in Boston indicted a Randolph man today on charges of child pornography.

Spencer Hughes, 38, was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.  

Hughes was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 13, 2020, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence. He has been released to home detention subject to electronic monitoring and prohibited from accessing the internet, among other pre-trial conditions.

According to charging documents, during the execution of a search warrant, an external hard drive on Hughes’ kitchen table was found to contain a folder labeled with a female’s name. The folder contained numerous pornographic images and videos of a female child appearing to be approximately 10 or 11 years old.

A forensic examination of Hughes’ phone revealed that defendant was using the Kik Messenger application to view dozens of images and videos of child pornography.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and David Magdycz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III, of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.