PORTLAND — A local man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for enticing a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
Joshua Decker, 36, received the 144-month sentence from U.S.
District Judge Nancy Torresen on July 3 after pleading guilty to the charges.
Upon release, Decker will be under supervised release for life.
Court documents reveal that in December, Decker initiated contact with a 16-year-old from out of state in an online chat forum.
Despite knowing the individual’s age, he continued communication, which escalated to graphic and sexual nature by April.
Decker had also discussed plans to meet the minor.
To protect the victim’s identity, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has withheld further details about the minor, including their gender and location.
In July, law enforcement conducted a search of Decker’s vehicle and person, resulting in the discovery of a tablet containing child sexual abuse material.
Prior to this federal case, Decker was convicted in Androscoggin County Criminal Court in 2018 for possessing sexually explicit material of a minor under the age of 12.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Portland Police Department.
