A Leominster resident, Brian Cook, 36, was arrested and charged with possession of child sexual abuse material after federal authorities executed a search warrant at his home. Cook was taken into custody on August 5 and ordered detained pending a hearing in federal court in Worcester.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement conducted an on-site review of Cook’s computer and hard drives during the search. The review allegedly uncovered several videos depicting child sexual abuse material. Authorities seized multiple electronic devices, including laptops and hard drives, for further forensic analysis.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has encouraged members of the public with questions or information about this case to contact them at 617-748-3274.
If convicted, Cook faces up to 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and possible supervised release for life. Fines could reach $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and applicable statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, announced the arrest. The Leominster and Westford Police Departments assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett from the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting 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,” officials stated. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Authorities reminded that all details contained in the charging document are allegations: “The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.”
