Taunton man sentenced after possessing over 1,000 videos and images of child pornography

BOSTON – A Taunton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with possessing over 1,000 videos and images of child pornography.

Ronald Walsh, 68, formerly of Mashpee, was sentenced to seven years in prison, five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $15,300 in fees and penalties. In February 2020, Walsh pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

In August 2018, an undercover officer downloaded child pornography from a collection Walsh made available to others on the internet. In November 2018, a search was executed at Walsh’s home in Mashpee where child pornography was located on Walsh’s computer. During a forensic review of the hard drive, over 1,000 videos and images of children being sexually exploited were identified.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Mashpee Police Chief Scott Carline; Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings; and Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend made the announcement. The U.S. Secret Service provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.