Cape Kids Boating Instructor Sentenced On Child Porn Charges

BARNSTABLE, MA — A former children's boating instructor who worked at several Cape Cod yacht clubs was sentenced to seven years in prison for possessing and distributing child pornography.

Ronald Walsh, 68, of Taunton, and formerly of Mashpee, pleaded guilty in February 2020 to two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to his prison sentence, a Boston federal court judge Friday also ordered Walsh to serve five years of supervised release and pay a $15,300 fine.

In August 2018, an undercover officer downloaded child pornography from a collection Walsh made available to others on the internet.

In November 2018, police searched Walsh’s home in Mashpee and found child pornography on his computer. During a forensic review of the hard drive, police discovered over 1,000 videos and images of children being sexually exploited.