BOSTON – A New Salem man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to a child pornography offense.
Nicholas Conkey, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2022. Conkey was charged in June 2019.
Conkey admitted that on Jan. 18, 2019, he possessed 42 images and one video of child pornography on his phone. These images and video depicted prepubescent children engaged in sex acts or the lascivious display of their genitalia. Conkey also admitted that he possessed child pornography images in his online email account.
The charge of possession of child pornography, due to the defendant’s prior military conviction for a child pornography offense, provides for 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. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Making sure victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
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