Source: United States Department of Justice News
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Charles Lelande Boston (32, Orange Park) today pleaded guilty to receiving materials over the internet depicting the sexual abuse of children. Boston faces a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. Boston was arrested on August 12, 2021, and remains in custody. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) conducted an online investigation on a file-sharing network for files containing materials depicting the sexual abuse of children. In January, March, and April 2021, a CCSO detective connected with a computer that had files depicting the sexual abuse of children available online for sharing. Homeland Security Investigations and CCSO later executed a search warrant at the residence associated with that computer and Boston was determined to be the owner of the computer. An examination of Boston’s computer revealed a folder of downloaded files containing approximately 80 files depicting the sexual abuse of children.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.