Southampton Man Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

BOSTON – A Southampton man was charged in U.S. District Court in Springfield today with child pornography offenses.

Bruce Singer, 70, was indicted on five counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

It is alleged that from April 30, 2013, to June 25, 2015, Singer engaged in several acts of distributing and receiving electronic child pornography files and possessed more than a dozen child pornography files.

The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography each provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper; Easthampton Police Chief Robert Alberti; and Westfield Police Chief John Camerota, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Weinreb’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Leslie Fisher of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are 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. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’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, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.