United States of America v. Justin Leonard

Bangor, Maine, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.

In February 2024, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Leonard’s home based on a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Justin Leonard, 24, was home during the warrant’s execution and provided the password and Face ID to a hidden folder on his cellular telephone. In this hidden folder, investigators located multiple sexually explicit images and videos of two very young children. Leonard admitted that he had taken these images and videos. The parents of the children confirmed Leonard’s statements and identified their children in the images and videos. A subsequent forensic review of Leonard’s phone uncovered Facebook chats where he expressed an interest in children and a desire to acquire children. In addition, in the Safari history of Leonard’s phone, artifacts were found indicating an interest in Rohypnol or “roofies,” a powerful sedative. His queries included, “youngest age you can safely give a roofie” and “Is there any drug that can make a person unconscious for 2 hours?”

In imposing sentence, Judge Neumann observed that Leonard’s conduct constituted the “most heinous offense than can be committed,” noting that “not only did [Leonard] commit the act, [he] documented it.”

HSI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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 via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 27 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $20,000 each to the two minor victims.