44-year-old Michael Martin from Braintree, Massachusetts was sentenced on November 15, for possession and distribution of child pornography. The Department of Justice reports Martin received a five-year prison term, followed by five years on supervised release. He was also slapped with $10,000 special assessment fees, and a restitution order of $5,000 in favor of a victim.
On March 9, 2021, Tumblr alerted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about a user, subsequently identified as Martin, who was suspected of possessing child pornography. Officials found Martin had used his Tumblr account to receive and post child pornography involving minors estimated to be between four and eight years old. He was also found in possession of electronic devices containing illicit content when his residence was searched.
In its ongoing battle against child exploitation, Project Safe Childhood (PSC) was launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006. PSC represents a concerted effort at the federal, state, and local levels to pinpoint victims for rescue, apprehend exploiters, and bring them to justice. Detailed information about this initiative can be found on the DOJ's website.
