A Marlboro resident, Larry Stephen, 46, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for crimes involving child sexual abuse material. The sentencing took place in Boston’s federal court before U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton. In addition to his prison term, Stephen will serve five years of supervised release and must pay $13,000 in restitution.
Stephen pleaded guilty in April 2025 to one count each of distribution and possession of child pornography. He was arrested on July 18, 2023 following a criminal complaint and was indicted by a federal grand jury the following month.
Authorities said Stephen used a social media platform to receive and distribute child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement searched his Marlboro home on June 7, 2023, seizing his cell phone. A preliminary review of the device revealed images and videos depicting child sexual abuse that Stephen had repeatedly posted online.
The case was announced by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Boston Field Office. The Marlboro Police Department provided assistance during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Tobin and Eric Hawkins from the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims,” according to officials involved with the prosecution.
More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
