Rhode Island man sentenced to prison on child pornography charges

PROVIDENCE – A Westerly man who admitted to exchanging sexually explicit images involving minors with others online and to sending sexually explicit images to minors via social media applications has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison.

At sentencing on January 10, 2019, Jonathan Breslin, 33, was also ordered by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to serve 10 years supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration. Breslin pleaded guilty on October 10, 2018, to possession of child pornography, transferring obscene material to a minor, and two counts of receipt and distribution of child pornography.

Breslin’s sentenced is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Peter C. Fitzhugh, Lieutenant Colonel Kevin M. Barry, Acting Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, Westerly Police Chief Shawn M. Lacey, and Warwick Police Chief Rick Rathbun.

According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations learned from a Canadian law enforcement agency of 78 unique users who shared and/or communicated about child pornography on a social media application. Through further investigation, Homeland Security Investigations identified one of the IP addresses as belonging to Jonathan Breslin. The investigation into Breslin’s online activities revealed a series of sexually explicit discussions about creating, distributing and the viewing of child pornography.

As part of the investigation, a Homeland Security Investigations agent, posing as an individual interested in child pornography, engaged Breslin in a series of communications. During the exchanges, Breslin discussed viewing, possessing and the attempted production of child pornography.

Additionally, the investigation determined that Breslin transferred obscene material online to a person under the age of 16 and attempted to entice minors to engage in illicit sexual activity on social media applications.

On August 9, 2017, the date of Breslin’s arrest, a court-authorized search of Breslin’s residence by agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and members of the Westerly and Warwick Police Departments resulted in the seizure of a computer, a digital media storage device and a cell phone, all containing child pornography. A forensic audit of the electronic devices revealed at least 275 images and 46 videos containing child pornography.