Lincoln, Rhode Island’s fire marshal faces charges in connection with the distribution and possession of child sex abuse material from online chats, United States Attorney Leah Foley’s office said Friday.
Jeffrey Almond, 41, was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.
He was expected to make his first federal court appearance in Providence on Friday and should appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, Foley’s office said in a statement.
Between Feb. 12, 2024, and Nov. 28, 2024, Almond messaged with an undercover agent posing as a child on one of these online chats, Foley’s office said. At two points during this period, he sent and tried to send child sex abuse material to a child.
“In these communications, it is alleged that Almond discussed the exploitation of children, with the purpose of obtaining [child sex abuse material] or soliciting a child for sex,” Foley’s office said.
In August 2024, he used a social media app to message with an undercover agent pretending to be a 15-year-old girl, the statement read. Almond asked the agent to create and send child sex abuse material with him, as well as to meet in person.
“I guess I could do an [Airbnb] to get more privacy,” he texted before sending a picture of his penis, Foley’s office said.
Between October and November 2024, Almond used another social media app to message a different undercover agent posing as a “bad parent” of a “purported 12-year-old minor female in Florida,” Foley’s office stated. He said he wanted to have sex with the “girl” and used “explicit detail,” and talked about going to Florida to meet the “child,” the statement read.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
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