Michael Myers, a 39-year-old resident of Lunenburg, pleaded guilty on March 11 in federal court in Worcester to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 16, and Myers has remained in federal custody since his arrest and charge by criminal complaint in December 2024.
The case is significant due to Myers’ prior conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in 2015, for which he was sentenced to two years’ probation by state authorities and classified as a Level One Sex Offender. The current charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to twenty years in prison, with additional supervised release requirements and potential fines.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Myers was identified as the owner of both Kik Messenger and Reddit accounts that were used to transmit CSAM files between August 2023 and April 2024. Some files depicted severe abuse involving young male victims. Search warrants revealed further evidence through chats demonstrating Myers’ criminal sexual interest in young boys. During a search at his residence in December 2024, investigators found an anonymous private messenger application on his cell phone containing videos and pictures depicting CSAM that had been sent and received.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said the announcement was made jointly with Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, and Lunenburg Police Interim Police Chief Jeffrey M. Thibodeau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies.