Former Victims Advocate Distributed Child Porn: Attorney's Office

CANTON, CT — A Canton man who used to work as a Victim Services Advocate for the Hartford Superior Court has pleaded guilty to distributing pictures and videos depicting sexual abuse of children, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced Monday.

Robert Eccleston, 58, of Canton faces between five and 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of child pornography distribution, the Attorney's Office said.

Eccleston used usernames "hartfordctguy" and "Mowgli100" on social media app Kik to distribute the numerous images and videos in August and September 2020. Officials said that content included pictures and videos depicting sexual abuse of toddlers and prepubescent children.

He also served as an administrator of a Kik group and required users to send him videos of child sexual abuse for group access, the Attorney's Office said.

According to court documents and statements made in court, covert FBI personnel in two field offices outside Connecticut discovered the content while monitoring various public groups on Kik.

During the months he was distributing child pornography online, Eccleston was employed as a Victim Services Advocate for the Hartford Superior Court, officials said.

That position involves assisting crime victims and their families on the pardon and parole process, referring them to other resources, and providing them information on crime victim rights and protection orders.

Eccleston was arrested on Dec. 11, 2020 and has been detained since his arrest. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea will sentence him in Hartford on April 19.

His prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which aims to protect children against sexual abuse and exploitation, officials said.