BOSTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Massachusetts), published as received.
BOSTON – A Northampton man, who was convicted in 2005 for possessing child pornography, was charged today in U.S. District Court in Springfield with the same offense.
Robert F. Sokolowski, Jr., 42, was charged in an information with one count of possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Sokolowski has agreed to be sentenced to 12.5 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release pending approval by the Court. A plea hearing is scheduled for May 12, 2015.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2013, Sokolowski uploaded a child pornography file to a Facebook account in the fictitious name of “Amy Addams.” During a search executed by local law enforcement officers at Sokolowski’s apartment, a laptop was seized that revealed 14 fictitious Facebook accounts, including the “Amy Addams” account. Also found on the laptop were 400 images of child pornography, including a copy of the file that had been uploaded to the “Amy Addams” account, as well as four video files of child pornography, including one that depicted the rape of a female toddler.
On July 25, 2013, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the Facebook accounts used by Sokolowski and located additional evidence of child pornography.
The charging statute provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and a maximum lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, forfeiture of his computer media, and restitution to the victims in his child pornography collection. 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.
In June 2005, Sokolowski pleaded guilty to one count of possessing material involving the exploitation of minors. In October of that year, he and was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Chief Russell P. Sienkiewicz of the Northampton Police Department; and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Ortiz's Springfield Branch Office.
The details contained in the Information are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
