Russell pleads guilty to sharing child pornography

By Judy Harrison
Bangor Daily News staff writer
    BANGOR — A Houlton man waived indictment and pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to sharing child pornography with two law enforcement officers working undercover outside Maine.
    David A. Russell, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography.
    U.S. District Judge John Woodcock ordered that Russell be held without bail until his sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.
    Russell came to the attention of law enforcement officials in Maine after he shared child pornography on Aug. 17, 2011, with a Wheaton, Ill., police officer working undercover on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network child pornographers are known to frequent, according to the prosecution version of events to which the defendant pleaded guilty.
    Independent of the Illinois officer, an FBI agent in the New York City office working undercover in the same peer-to-peer file-sharing network received child pornography from Russell on Oct. 25, 2011, the prosecution version of the offense said.
    Russell’s computer was seized on Nov. 30, 2011, according to court documents.
    The images and videos Russell admitted to sharing depicted prepubescent boys having sex with adults and other boys, according to the prosecution version.
    Russell faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.