A man from Harrisville has entered a guilty plea in federal court on charges of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack.
Ryan Vallee, 31, admitted to possession of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott. The sentencing has been set for August 18, 2025.
Court documents indicate that on June 6, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Vallee's home, car, and electronic devices. Authorities discovered four videos and 175 images of CSAM on a cellphone, along with 11 videos on an SD card. At the time, Vallee was under federal supervision due to previous 2017 convictions, which included interstate threats, computer fraud and abuse, aggravated identity theft, and cyberstalking.
The applicable statutes permit up to 10 years of imprisonment for the offense, but if any material involved depicts a prepubescent minor or a minor under 12, the maximum penalty increases to 20 years. The statute also specifies supervised release ranging from five years to life, with a possible fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing determinations are guided by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The Department of Homeland Security spearheaded the investigation, assisted by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office, the Harrisville Police Department, and the Belmont Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse, led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.