Federal prosecutors say a Hyde Park man took part in sexual video chats with a 12-year-old girl on Snapchat and is now under arrest in Boston. Nicholas J. McDonagh, 25, was taken into federal custody after investigators say cellphones seized last summer held dozens of videos depicting child sexual abuse, according to an announcement made late Wednesday.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts press release, McDonagh was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of child pornography and was arrested on April 23, 2026. Prosecutors allege he communicated with a 12-year-old Delaware girl over Snapchat from about January through March 2025 and that the two engaged in “nude video chats.” During searches of his residence and person on Aug. 6, 2025, investigators seized several cellphones that allegedly contained roughly 24 video files depicting child sexual abuse, including several videos showing girls who appear younger than 12. One device reportedly held Snapchat messages with the minor. Members of the public with information were asked to call 617-748-3274 or email [email protected], according to the release.
Local reporting by Boston 25 adds that state investigators in Delaware first identified McDonagh in June 2025 and that he was arrested by state authorities on Aug. 6, 2025. That report says he was later released on bail under conditions that included GPS monitoring, internet restrictions and a prohibition on unsupervised contact with minors. There is no public record yet of a federal plea or trial date.
What He Could Face
Federal possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000, prosecutors noted. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts said Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potapchuk of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Broader Online Risks
Advocates and law-enforcement officials say the case tracks with a troubling pattern of predators using ephemeral messaging and social apps to find and exploit young people. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has reported steep increases in CyberTipline reports, along with a surge in cases involving generative AI and other new technologies that complicate investigations and increase the volume of material authorities must review. McDonagh remains presumed innocent while the case works its way through the courts.
