Source: United States Department of Justice News
BOSTON – A Sutton, Mass. man who has worked as a magician for over 20 years, performing for children as young as kindergarten age, was arrested today on a child pornography charge.
Scott Jameson, 45, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Jameson was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 4 p.m. this afternoon.
According to the criminal complaint filed today, in February 2022, federal authorities were contacted by Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), a Cambodian Non-Governmental Organization founded to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation, to report that Jameson possibly engaged in inappropriate behavior with minors in Cambodia. According to the report, Jameson was allegedly observed improperly interacting with a young Cambodian boy at a park . Additionally, according to the report, two pre-teen Cambodian boys informed APLE employees that Jameson allegedly slept with them in their bed on more than one occasion but they did not report any sexual abuse.
Federal authorities in the United States were notified that Jameson, a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, had again travelled to Cambodia on Aug. 28, 2022. Upon his return to the United States on Oct. 19, 2022, Jameson was stopped at Logan Airport. During a search of Jameson’s belongings, agents located a video which appears to have been produced during his most recent trip to Cambodia, depicting the genitals of a young boy, 5-7 years old, who appears to be of Asian descent. A separate device contained over 100 images of apparent child pornography, including an image depicting a boy approximately 8-10 years old, nude from the waist down.
During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Jameson allegedly stated that he has worked as a magician for over 20 years, regularly performing at libraries and private and family events across New England usually for children as young as kindergarten age and up to the eighth grade.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Securities Investigation and the Sutton and Littleton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office 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.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.