Recidivist Defendant Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography While on Federal Supervised Release for Previous Child Pornography Offense

BOSTON – An Auburn man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for a child pornography charge.

Christopher Rondeau, 37, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2022, Rondeau pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest in November 2020. 

During a search of Rondeau’s residence in November 2020, a cell phone was found containing images and videos of child pornography. In 2016, Rondeau was convicted of receipt of child pornography and sentenced to 68 months in prison and seven years of supervised release. He was released from federal custody in August 2019 and was on supervised release at the time of his November arrest.  

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Auburn Police Chief Todd. R. Lemon; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.