Massachusetts woman facing minimum 15 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting infant in her care

BOSTON – A Salisbury woman pleaded guilty on Friday in federal court in Boston to the sexual exploitation of an infant.

Desiree Daigle, 26, pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child before U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV who scheduled sentencing for Oct. 24, 2022. Daigle was arrested and charged in November 2018.

“Ms. Daigle grossly exploited and sexually victimized an infant, took a video of her abuse which she shared with others. Her conduct tears at the hearts of all parents. This kind of case drives my office’s mission to do all that it can to prosecute individuals like Ms. Daigle, who prey on innocent and defenseless children,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to investigate and prosecute those who exploit our most vulnerable and bring justice to victims.”

“What Desiree Daigle has admitted to today is enough to make anyone’s stomach turn. There are few situations more urgent than when a child is physically at risk. People like her, who sexually exploit children, do serious lasting harm, and to engage in the manufacturing and trading of child sexual abuse material only perpetuates the abuse,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI is committed to finding such predators, locking them up, and ensuring the children they have victimized are safe.”

In November 2018, Daigle was identified in online chats exchanging various child pornography files with another individual. Some of the images depicted an infant in Daigle’s care, apparently taken in Daigle’s home. During the chats, Daigle discussed plans for the other individual to meet the child in person so that they could sexually abuse the child together.

The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Amesbury, North Andover, Salisbury, Arlington, Billerica, Methuen, and Haverhill Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Chief of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The case is 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.