BOSTON — Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested an Attleboro man, who is a Level 1 sex offender, Dec. 18 in connection with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Eric Brault, 31, was charged with possession of child pornography.
According to the charging documents, an HSI investigation into an internet-based communications application used for the trafficking of CSAM allegedly identified Brault as a likely user of the application who participated in groups where CSAM was disseminated. During a search of Brault’s residence, a review of his phone allegedly revealed that Brault was a member of several groups on the platform that exchanged CSAM. Additionally, more than 200 video and image files, most of which appear to depict CSAM, were allegedly located within a photo album on Brault’s phone.
Brault was previously convicted in Attleboro District Court of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months of probation.
Brault faces a sentence of at least 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.
The investigation was led by HSI New England’s Boston Child Exploitation and Computer Forensics Unit with valuable assistance from the Attleboro Police Department.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSINewEngland to learn more about HSI’s global missions and operations.