A Boston pediatric anesthesiologist has been arrested on charges that include possession and distribution of child pornography, the Department of Justice announced. Dr. Christopher Sheerer, 35, who recently began a fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital, was taken into custody after a raid at his residence on Thursday night, according to NBC Boston.
Sheerer, who had moved to Massachusetts to join Boston Children’s Hospital at the start of the month, was previously affiliated with Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, where he served as a fellow in pediatric anesthesiology. The federal inquiry that led to Sheerer’s arrest was sparked in Baltimore, and involved his participation in an encrypted message group which traded in illicit images of minors. Per the charging documents, it is alleged that to gain access to this group, Sheerer uploaded nude images of a child known to him, improperly, the investigation revealed that Sheerer claimed to be the father of a 5-year-old girl in the group, and shared nude images with a visible card showing the group's name, an assertion stated by Boston 25 News.
Upon search of his Boston home, authorities reportedly discovered several images and videos on Sheerer’s mobile device that appeared to be child pornography, some involving children as young as infants. In addition, a tablet and computers were seized, and are currently under forensic examination, as WCVB reported.
Appearing in federal court in Boston on Friday, the doctor was detained without bail until a hearing slated for the following Tuesday, facing a statutory minimum of five years – and as many as 20 years – in prison along with a potential $250,000 fine for each count should he be convicted. "When Boston Children's Hospital learned (Friday) of new fellow Dr. Christopher Sheerer's arrest, we immediately terminated their employment," a Boston Children's Hospital spokesperson told NBC Boston, underscarring their commitment to patient safety.
As the investigation continues, the DOJ has encouraged those with relevant information or concerns related to the case to come forward and has provided a contact number for public inquiries. Sheerer, who had only been in Boston for three weeks before his arrest, has not made it clear whether he has legal representation to respond to the charges he is currently facing.
