Bristol County man sentenced to prison for abusing toddler in his care, video-recording abuse

BOSTON – A Bristol County man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sexually exploiting an 18-month-old toddler in his care and for distributing child sexual abuse material.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 25-year-old Cody Mercure of Taunton was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin to 25 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release. In January 2023, Mercure pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography.

“It is challenging to find the words that capture just how abhorrent and destructive this conduct was. This man sexually exploited an innocent 18-month-old child – a defenseless toddler who, at the time, was still in diapers – and recorded the abuse to watch again and again for his own sick gratification,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Cases of child exploitation are among the most difficult yet most important prosecutions our office handles. My office remains relentless in our work to ensure the safety of our children, remove dangerous predators like Mr. Mercure from our communities, and seek justice for victims.”

“Mercure committed monstruous acts against a child and caused irrevocable pain in the lives of so many. We hope that today’s sentence offers resolution and peace for the victim and their family in this incredibly difficult time,” said Michael Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI works every day to uncover the abuse and exploitation of children and seek justice for those who cannot advocate for themselves.”

On Feb. 19, 2021, Mercure sexually abused a toddler in his care and video-recorded the abuse. Mercure also distributed numerous files of CSAM over the internet using a messaging application. On Jan. 16, 2021, Mercure distributed CSAM depicting the sexual abuse of a prepubescent child to another user of the messaging application. Hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography were stored on both of Mercure’s phones which were seized at the time of his arrest and in a cloud storage account. In April 2021, Mercure was arrested on related state charges, and he has been in custody since.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and HSI Acting SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistance was also provided by the Rhode Island State Police and the Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.