Federal prosecutors in Boston say a Cherry Hill, New Jersey man is facing serious child-exploitation charges after a grand jury indicted him this week in a case tied to alleged conduct in Massachusetts.
Essam Meawad, 34, was indicted Monday by a federal grand jury in Boston on two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Prosecutors allege the conduct took place in August and November 2024. Meawad was arrested on related state charges in July 2025 and has remained in custody since, according to authorities.
What prosecutors allege
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts, the indictment charges Meawad with two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Prosecutors say the charging documents allege that Meawad coerced a minor into sexually explicit conduct in August and November 2024. The filings also allege that he traveled in interstate commerce in August 2024 to have illicit contact with the same minor.
The announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office named U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks and Billerica Police Chief Roy W. Frost, and noted that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Eric L. Hawkins are prosecuting the case.
Local arrests and prior charges
Local coverage reports that Meawad was arrested on state charges in July 2025 and had previously been arrested in April 2025 on an armed home invasion charge, according to Boston 25 News. Authorities say he has remained in state custody since the July arrest while federal prosecutors moved the case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston.
The federal indictment was unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Boston.
Potential penalties
The federal charges carry steep potential penalties. Prosecutors say the sexual exploitation counts each carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000. The travel-with-intent count carries up to 30 years in prison, along with similar supervised release and fine provisions, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts.
Any sentence would ultimately be imposed by a federal judge, who is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative that coordinates federal, state and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child-exploitation offenses.
Why this matters
Federal prosecutors in Boston have recently pursued several high-profile child-exploitation cases and secured substantial prison sentences, highlighting the district's focus on these crimes. Earlier this year, a former Boston Children’s Hospital anesthesiologist received a 22-year federal sentence in a child exploitation case, The Boston Globe reported.
These prosecutions are often coordinated with local police and the FBI under the Project Safe Childhood framework. Authorities urge anyone with information about possible child exploitation to contact local law enforcement or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.
