A Pawtucket man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
In August 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted law enforcement about a phone number linked to Eugenio Lopes Gomes, 47, which was used to upload child pornography. A court-authorized search of his electronic devices revealed approximately 17,000 images and 144 videos depicting explicit material involving children aged one to twelve.
Lopes Gomes was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 36 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024, to possession of child pornography.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration between federal, state, and local resources. More information about this initiative can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant United States Attorney Julienne Kline prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter I. Roklan. The investigation was conducted by the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.