Connor McAuliffe, a 34-year-old emergency medical technician from Salem, was arrested on charges related to the receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material. The arrest took place at his residence, and following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, McAuliffe was ordered detained until a hearing scheduled for August 12, 2025.
According to court documents, McAuliffe was identified as part of a global investigation by South African authorities into encrypted messaging groups involved in the distribution of child sexual abuse material. He is alleged to have been an active member in several large-scale chat groups dedicated to sharing such content.
Authorities reported that during a search of McAuliffe’s home in March 2025, his cellphone was seized and subjected to forensic analysis. Investigators claim they found evidence that he participated in about 100 chats across various messaging platforms focused on child sexual abuse material. Some chat titles included references to young boys and minors. Media files recovered from the device allegedly contained around 1,500 images and 50 videos depicting child sexual abuse; some files reportedly showed acts involving boys estimated to be between nine and eleven years old.
McAuliffe currently holds an active paramedic certification with the Massachusetts Office of Health & Human Services and is employed as an EMT by an emergency services company.
The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to twenty years in prison, at least five years supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Possession carries up to twenty years imprisonment with similar terms for supervised release and fines. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on federal guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley stated: “Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.”
Leah B. Foley also announced the arrest alongside Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England. The Salem Police Department provided assistance with Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a national effort launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child exploitation crimes through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies (https://www.justice.gov/psc).
Authorities emphasize that these are allegations; McAuliffe is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
