Massachusetts Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material After HSI New England Investigation

Joint investigation leads to arrest, extradition of murder suspect

BOSTON — A Harwich man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston July 24 to possessing child sexual abuse material after an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England.

Jonathan Fleischmann, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. HSI special agents arrested Fleischmann May 16, 2023, and he remains in federal custody. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16.

Fleischmann’s coworkers reported to law enforcement that, between March 17 and March 18, 2023, his cellphone was observed downloading suspected child sexual abuse media files while his phone was left open and charging on a counter at their workplace. During a subsequent search of Fleischmann’s cellphone, approximately 255 image files and 55 video files that contained suspected child sexual abuse were identified.

On May 23, 2024, Fleischmann pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for separate state charges in Barnstable Superior Court for invading a Yarmouth home and forcibly taking a 16-year-old girl at gunpoint into her house as she arrived home from school in 2020. That investigation revealed that Fleishmann had accessed a dark web service on his cellphone dedicated to the trafficking of child sexual abuse material.

Fleishmann is a Level 3 sex offender due to prior convictions in Barnstable District Court for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 in 2006 and open and gross lewdness in 2017.

The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol and acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy made the announcement July 24. The investigation was led by the HSI Boston Child Exploitation and Forensics group.

HSI is a global leader in the fight against child exploitation. Last year, HSI special agents dedicated 1.2 million case hours toward investigating child exploitation. This heinous crime harms the most vulnerable in our society: our kids. As technology evolves and more people have access to the internet, children are at a greater risk than ever. HSI’s special agents and analysts around the world are dedicated to countering this threat.

Report suspected child exploitation to the HSI tip line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.