Lincoln Police Department Dispatcher Spencer Hughes was arrested on October 13 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations for one count of possession of child pornography in violation of Title 18 USC 2252(a)(4)(B).
Hughes has been placed on administrative leave without pay. The town will conduct its own internal investigation and will take appropriate action, Police Chief Kevin Kennedy said in a statement, adding, “the crime alleged is very concerning and we will continue to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.”
The specific statute in question concerns possession and/or distribution of visual depictions involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, or up to 20 years if the visual depiction involves a minor under 12 or if the defendant has a prior conviction for sexual abuse or child pornography.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations has broad legal authority to enforce a diverse array of federal statutes and investigates all types of cross-border criminal activity, including cybercrime and human rights violations.
Kennedy would not comment further on Hughes as it involves an ongoing personnel matter. He referred questions to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston, which did not immediately return a phone call on Wednesday. Further information on Hughes was unavailable, though a Google search revealed that in 2019, he participated in a Cops for Kids with Cancer donation to a Burlington boy suffering from cancer.
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