News Releases

February 4, 2009

Milford teacher charged with possession of child pornography

BOSTON, MA - A Milford man was charged today in U.S. District Court in Worcester with possession of child pornography after an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Brian Rossi, age 36, of Milford, MA, was charged in a criminal complaint with possession of child pornography

The complaint alleges that the defendant, a physical education teacher at Sarah Gibbons Middle School in Westborough, knowingly possessed multiple images of pre-pubescent boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The investigation began when INTERPOL in Berne, Switzerland notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") officials that a large number of internet users had downloaded videos that allegedly depicted child pornography. Further investigation revealed that one of the IP addresses used to download these videos was a Verizon IP address associated with Rossi. Based, in part, on that information, ICE obtained a search warrant for Rossi's home. Agents searched Rossi's home on February 3, 2009 and recovered the images of child pornography that form the basis of the criminal Complaint.

If convicted on these charges, Rossi faces up to 10 years imprisonment, to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

The announcement was made today by United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge for ICE's Office of Investigations in Boston; Chief Alan Gordon of the Westborough Police Department and Chief Thomas O'Loughlin of the Milford Police Department. The case was investigated by ICE, the Milford Police Department and the Westborough Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin M. Bell of Sullivan's Worcester Branch. The details contained in the Complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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