BOSTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Massachusetts), published as received.

BOSTON – Daniel J. O’Hern, 65, a Mashpee resident and former New York pediatrician, pleaded guilty yesterday to distribution and possession of child pornography.  U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for July 21, 2015. 

On May 31, 2014, law enforcement discovered that O’Hern was distributing child pornography when he utilized a public file sharing program to post pictures and videos of minors, between the ages of 5 to 12 years old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adults.  In June 2014, federal agents executed a search warrant at O’Hern’s residence and seized multiple computers, external hard drives, hundreds of DVDs, and other media storage devices which contained an extensive collection of images and videos depicting children being sexually assaulted by adults. 

The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a minimum mandatory term of five years and no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum term of five years to a lifetime of supervised release, and registration with the sex offender registration board.  The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a term of no greater than 10 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Chief Rodney Collins of the Mashpee Police Department; and Chief Paul MacDonald of the Barnstable Police Department made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.  In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.