A Burlington, Massachusetts man and former high school wrestling coach was convicted on three counts of attempting to send obscene material to a minor. Stephen James Lemelin, 51, was found guilty after a three-day jury trial in Boston federal court. The sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris.
Lemelin was arrested and charged in May 2024 and later indicted by a federal grand jury the following month. Evidence presented during the trial showed that over five months, Lemelin sent sexually explicit messages and obscene photographs via Kik Messenger to an undercover officer who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. According to prosecutors, Lemelin also proposed meeting the individual for sex.
Each count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing will be determined according to federal guidelines and statutes.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and the Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Burlington, Salisbury and Winchester Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Tobin and Eric L. Hawkins are prosecuting the case.”
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to prosecute offenders and protect victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.