BANGOR, Maine — A Sedgwick man pleaded guilty Aug. 2 to producing child sexual abuse material after he was identified during a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England investigation.
According to court records, in May 2021, Travis Bessey, 29, participated in a Kik chat room dedicated to the distribution of child sexual abuse material. An HSI special agent monitoring the chat observed a user, later identified as Bessey, sharing images of an adult man sexually abusing young children. The Maine State Police and HSI executed a search warrant at Bessey’s residence. During the investigation, Bessey admitted to sending and receiving child sexual abuse material in the Kik group, and images of Bessey sexually abusing children were recovered from his phone.
Bessey faces 15 to 30 years in prison on each of the two counts, a fine up to $250,000 and mandatory restitution to the victims. Any sentence would be followed by a minimum of five years of supervised release.
HSI New England’s Bangor Resident Agent in Charge office and HSI Portland (Oregon) investigated the case with assistance from the Maine State Police.
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.
HSI’s Project iGuardian is focused on keeping children and teens safe from online predators through education and awareness. Schools, parent groups, and other community groups can request in-person educational outreach presentations to learn about the dangers of online environments, how to stay safe online, and how to report abuse and suspicious activity.