Amber Mason, a 33-year-old resident of Bennington, Vermont, was arraigned on charges related to child sexual exploitation. The Attorney General's Office announced that Mason faces one felony count each for Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and Promoting a Recording of Sexual Conduct.
These charges stem from a criminal investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC). This task force comprises personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bennington Police Department. Search warrants were executed as part of the investigation leading to Mason's arrest.
Mason pleaded not guilty during her arraignment in Vermont Superior Court's Bennington Unit Criminal Division. Judge Jennifer Barrett imposed conditions restricting her access to minors, electronic devices, and the internet.
The VT-ICAC is dedicated to investigating child sexual exploitation cases over the internet. It focuses on crimes such as producing and distributing child sexual abuse materials online. The task force also provides forensic services, technical support, law enforcement training, and public outreach.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) serves as a national reporting system for online child exploitation incidents. Reports can be made regarding various offenses including child enticement for sexual acts or molestation via their hotline at 1-800-843-5678 or online at https://report.cybertip.org.
For individuals recovering from child sexual exploitation, NCMEC offers emotional support and assistance with content removal from the internet. Further resources are available at https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/csam-resources or by calling their hotline.