Disgraced former Rhode Island priest Father James W. Jackson, 68, has been slammed with a six-year prison sentence after his guilty plea on charges of receiving child pornography. Jackson, who previously served at St. Mary’s Church in Providence, was convicted in a federal court, with United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announcing the punishment.
Detectives on the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initially traced child sexual abuse material back to an IP address at St. Mary’s Church, a disturbing digital trail leading straight to Jackson’s rectory bedroom. It was there that they discovered thousands of images and videos, including those depicting prepubescent victims, bestiality, and sadomasochism. In total, an audit revealed over 12,000 images and 1,300 videos. The court documents, which outlined the extent of Jackson's offenses, graphically painted a portrait of betrayal of the role he was supposed to faithfully serve.
Previously released to the custody of his sister in Kansas while awaiting trial, Jackson seemingly failed to seize this as an opportunity for reflection or change. Instead, Kansas ICAC detectives flagged additional child pornography downloading activity at the sister’s residence. A search warrant led to the discovery of yet more incriminating evidence: a computer and hard drive with traces of deleted files akin to child sexual abuse material.
Jackson, extradited back to Rhode Island and detained, entered a guilty plea on June 8 and has quickly learned the harsh consequences of his actions. U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith ordered him to serve seventy-two months in incarceration, followed by five years of supervised release. Moreover, Jackson is now subject to hefty fines totaling $22,000, as mandated by federal law, to provide some measure of assistance to the victims of his actions. The court has also indicated that restitution to specific victims is pending, a detail reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In a case that saw the cooperative efforts of several agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the Overland Park, Kansas Police Department, among others, U.S. Attorney Cunha didn't hesitate to extend his appreciation for their diligent efforts. This collaborative force brought Jackson's reprehensible actions to light, culminating in the justice served today.
