A police officer from Seabrook, New Hampshire, was arrested on charges related to child pornography. John Giarrusso, 49, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, faces one count of receipt of child pornography. Authorities allege that between October 16 and October 17, 2024, Giarrusso received video files depicting child sexual abuse through the messaging platform Kik. The victims in these videos are reported to be children between approximately five and eleven years old.
Last month, Giarrusso was charged by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts with possession of child pornography and distribution of graphic sexual images to a minor. He is currently out on bail for those state charges.
The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and could result in up to 20 years behind bars. Additional penalties include at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release as well as a fine that may reach $250,000. Sentencing decisions will be made by a federal district court judge based on federal guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England announced the arrest. The Haverhill Police Department and Essex County District Attorney’s Office provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto from the Major Crimes Unit 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 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.”
Authorities remind members of the public with information or concerns about this case to contact them at 617-748-3274 or via email at USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
Officials emphasize that “the details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.”
