Registered sex offender indicted in Rhode Island federal court on 33 counts of child pornography

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A northeastern Rhode Island man was indicted in federal court Monday on 33 counts related to child pornography.

This indictment resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Woonsocket (Rhode Island) Police Department, with significant assistance from the Branford (Connecticut) Police Department.

Jason D. Boudreau, 41, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, was arraigned Monday on federal indictment charging him with 33 counts of allegedly accessing child pornography online. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on February 16, 2016.

Boudreau has been detained in federal custody since his arrest and initial appearance before a U.S. District Court Magistrate on December 29, 2015.

According to court documents, it is alleged that between August 16 and October 9, 2015, Boudreau digitally accessed more than 750 images of child pornography with the intent to view.

According to court records and information presented to the court, Boudreau was convicted in Rhode Island state court in March 2012 for 2nd degree child molestation, and again in January 2014 for possession of child pornography. At the time of sentencing on the second charge he was ordered to register as a sex offender.

Accessing child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.