Bean Town Times

An Orleans man has admitted guilt in a federal court in Boston for child pornography offenses. Anthony Argo, aged 34, pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The sentencing is set for February 25, 2025, by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun. Argo was initially arrested and charged in July 2024.

Authorities identified Argo as a user of a chat application where he expressed sexual interest in minors and shared CSAM. During a search of his home, law enforcement found an SD card and multiple USB drives containing over 600 images depicting child pornography, including images of infants.

Argo has previous convictions from Barnstable District Court for indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or over, and from Orleans District Court for kidnapping, enticing a child under 16, and distributing obscene matter to a minor.

Due to his prior convictions, the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison. It also includes at least five years to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. Sentences are determined by federal district court judges based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. Assistance was provided by HSI Frederick Maryland and the Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard from the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to apprehend individuals who exploit children and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.