A Nashua resident, Shane Niven, 34, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott handed down the sentence, which includes eight years of supervised release following imprisonment. Additionally, Niven is required to pay $24,000 in restitution and a $5,000 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young commented on the case stating, "The defendant is a recidivist sex offender who continued his online exploitation of children." She emphasized the significance of reporting such crimes to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), noting that cyber tips played a crucial role in alerting law enforcement to Niven's activities.
Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England, remarked on Niven's prior conviction for similar offenses: "Niven had already been convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material when he was caught yet again with these horrific files in his possession."
Federal authorities discovered CSAM on electronic devices at Niven's home after executing a search warrant. The investigation identified him through tips made to NCMEC indicating that his IP address had been used to share hundreds of files suspected as CSAM on an online platform.
Homeland Security Investigations led the federal probe with assistance from the Nashua Police Department and support from the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse across the United States.