PORTLAND — A Lewiston man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for sexually exploiting a child and possessing child sexual abuse material, officials said Tuesday.
Timothy Doyon, 29, was sentenced in U.S.
District Court in Portland and will also face a lifetime of supervised release following his imprisonment, according to U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen.
Doyon, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, was ordered to pay $103,500 in restitution.
“This crime is among the worst I have ever seen,” Torresen said during sentencing.
She commended the law enforcement officers involved in the investigation, emphasizing the severity of Doyon’s actions and the potential escalation of his crimes had he not been apprehended.
The case began in March when the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit received three CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating that a phone number was linked to uploading over 400 files of suspected child sexual abuse material.
The number was traced back to Doyon, a registered sex offender with a prior conviction for possessing sexually explicit material of a minor under 12.
In May, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Doyon’s person, vehicle, and residence, leading to the seizure of numerous electronic devices.
Doyon admitted to downloading, viewing, and saving the illicit material, and at least one image depicted him engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a child under the age of 12.
Homeland Security Investigations and the MSPCCU conducted the investigation with the support of the Lewiston Police Department.
Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England, stated that the case was one of the most challenging and emotionally taxing for the special agents involved.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006, aimed at combating the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
To report incidents involving child pornography or seek assistance for sexual assault or abuse in Maine, individuals can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children or the statewide sexual assault helpline.
