Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Tip to NCMEC leads to discovery of images/videos of young sexual abuse victims on Devin Madigan’s phone
BANGOR, Maine: A Caribou man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possession of child pornography.
According to court records, in April 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip from Kik, a messaging and chat app, that a user had uploaded videos containing child sexual abuse material. The videos captured the sexual abuse of victims as young as 1-3 years old. The account was later traced to Devin Madigan, 29. A forensic investigation of Madigan’s phone revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Madigan faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 to be followed by five years to life of supervised release. Madigan could also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance from the Grafton County (NH) Sheriff’s Department and the Brewer Police Department.
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.
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