Portsmouth Man Charged with Child Porn Possession

A 59-year-old Portsmouth man is facing charges of child porn possesion after a Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Task Force investigation.

James Murray, of 3382 East Main Road, Apt. 1L, Portsmouth, was arrested early Friday after a raid at his apartment where investigators reportedly seized digital media that contained child pornography.

Police said an investigation into a person possessing child pornography led them to the Internet connection at Murray’s address.

Murray was arraigned in Second Division District Court in Newport on Friday before Judge Colleen Hastings and was held on $5,000 surety bail with special conditions that he have no contact with children or use the internet.

Murray is due to return to court on July 23.

Rhode Island State Superintendent Col. Steven G. O’Donnell said that it does not appear that there has been any inappropriate contact between Murray and minor children.

If convicted, Murray could be fined $5,000 and spend five years in prison.

The Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force actively engages in investigative efforts to identify subjects involved in child exploitation-related activities. The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force Program is administered by the Rhode Island State Police and supports a national network of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task forces engaged in investigations, forensic examinations, and prosecutions related to Internet crimes against children and technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation. The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Coventry Police Department, Warwick Police Department, North Smithfield Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, North Kingstown Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and special agents from Homeland Security Investigations and United States Postal Inspection Services.