BOSTON – A Natick man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for possessing child pornography.

Joshua Bemis, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six years in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2019, Bemis pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. Bemis was arrested and charged in November 2018.

Federal authorities received information from law enforcement in the United Kingdom regarding an individual – whose IP address was traced to Bemis’ Natick residence – who had posted child pornography on a photo sharing website. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant and seized a laptop computer and separate hard drive, both of which contained numerous videos of children, including some that depict the rape of children as young as seven-years-old.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Natick Police Chief James G. Hicks made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

BOSTON – A Natick man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to possessing child pornography.

Joshua Bemis, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Jan. 8, 2020. Bemis was arrested and charged in November 2018.

Federal authorities received information from law enforcement in the United Kingdom about an individual whose IP address was traced to Bemis’ Natick residence, who had posted child pornography on a photo sharing website. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant where they seized a laptop computer and separate hard drive, both of which contained numerous videos of children, including some that depict the rape of children as young as seven-years-old.

Bemis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Natick Police Chief James G. Hicks made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

BOSTON – A Natick man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston in connection with possessing child pornography.

Joshua Bemis, 28, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared in federal court in Boston today and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing.

According to court documents, federal authorities received information from law enforcement in the United Kingdom about an individual whose IP address was traced to Bemis’ Natick residence, who had posted child pornography on a photo sharing website. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant where they seized a laptop computer and separate hard drive, both of which contained hundreds of videos of children, including some that depict the rape of children as young as seven-years-old.

Bemis faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Natick Police Chief James G. Hicks made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

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.