BOSTON — An Orleans man pleaded guilty Nov. 19 in federal court in Boston to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenses.
Anthony Argo, 34, pleaded guilty to possession of CSAM. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Feb. 25, 2025. Argo was arrested and charged in July 2024.
Argo was identified as the user of a chat application who was expressing sexual interest in minors and sharing CSAM. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents searched his residence and found Argo in possession of an SD card and multiple USB drives, together containing more than 600 images depicting child pornography. The files depicted children as young as infants.
Argo was previously convicted in Barnstable District Court for indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, and in Orleans District Court for kidnapping, enticement of a child under 16, and distributing obscene matter to a minor.
Due to Argo’s prior convictions, 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 and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
HSI New England’s Boston Child Exploitation and Forensics group led the investigation. Special assistance was provided by HSI Baltimore’s Frederick Resident Agent in Charge office and the Orleans Police Department.
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.
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