An Everett resident, Robert Sokolowski, 52, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston on September 10, 2025, to charges related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The plea includes one count each of possession, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor has set sentencing for December 17, 2025.
The case began in September 2024 when Sokolowski lost his cell phone on an MBTA Green Line trolley. An employee who found the phone discovered images of CSAM while trying to identify its owner. Authorities later determined that the device contained hundreds of images and videos depicting children as young as toddlers.
This marks Sokolowski’s third federal conviction for CSAM offenses. He was previously convicted in 2005 and sentenced to 46 months in prison for possession of CSAM. In 2015, he received a sentence of 150 months after a second conviction for similar offenses. The current crimes were committed seven months after his release from prison following the 2015 conviction.
Because of his prior convictions, Sokolowski faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to twenty years in prison for possession of child pornography. The charges for receipt and distribution carry a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and up to forty years in prison. Each charge also includes at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, along with possible fines up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by the federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the MBTA Transit Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.”
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006—to address child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
