A Pawtucket man has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, after admitting he possessed hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material found on his electronic devices. William Dickson pleaded guilty in March to one count of possession of child sexual abuse material, and a federal judge handed down the sentence following an investigation in which agents identified an online file-sharing account.
Guilty Plea Followed a 2024 Raid
Dickson, identified in court records as a Pawtucket resident, pleaded guilty on March 27, 2026, according to rilatino.com. U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose handed down the 42-month sentence and the eight-year term of supervised release, according to a news release cited by The Valley Breeze. Court records cited by the two outlets list Dickson's age differently — one as 65 and the other as 61 — while the U.S. Attorney's announcement identifies him as 61.
The case traces back to April 10, 2024, when federal agents executed search warrants on Dickson's residence, his person, and his vehicle in Pawtucket, seizing multiple electronic devices, the same report notes. Investigators had identified an online peer-to-peer file-sharing account that Dickson allegedly used to download and share child sexual abuse material, according to court documents referenced in that account.
Forensic Review Turned Up Hundreds of Files
A forensic analysis of Dickson's devices revealed approximately 820 images and 20 videos depicting child sexual abuse material, the report states. Dickson ultimately admitted to possessing hundreds of such images and videos as part of his guilty plea, according to the news release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White and investigated by the FBI, the same account indicates. First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda said that the possession and exchange of child sexual abuse material fuels the continued exploitation of vulnerable children. FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks said that those who collect this material drive demand, which means more children will be exploited.
Part of a Broader Federal Effort
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute people who exploit children online, and to identify and rescue victims, per the program's fact sheet published by the Department of Justice.
Dickson's case is one of several brought under that initiative in Rhode Island in recent months. A Warwick man was sentenced to 140 years in federal prison, according to a separate Department of Justice announcement. A North Providence man was sentenced on March 11, 2026 for production of child pornography, the agency separately announced, and another North Providence man was sentenced to five years in federal prison in December 2024 for possessing and distributing child pornography, according to that earlier release.
Federal law, under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A, criminalizes knowingly possessing material that contains an image of child pornography, according to the statute published by uscode.house.gov. Dickson's sentence includes eight years of supervised release following his prison term, a condition meant to keep him under federal monitoring well after his release.
