Crime

Former Lawrence official pleads guilty to child pornography charges

Jhovanny Martes-Rosario faces up to 20 years in prison, prosecutors said.

December 9, 2024

1 minute to read

The former Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Lawrence pleaded guilty Friday to child pornography charges, federal prosecutors said.

Jhovanny Martes-Rosario pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in federal court on Friday, U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy’s office said in a statement.

Authorities arrested Martes-Rosario, 50, in February 2023 after police identified him as the user of two online accounts containing child pornography, the statement said.

Levy’s office said law enforcement searched Martes-Rosario’s residence and found an iPad containing child pornography. Martes-Rosario admitted to police that he owned the two online accounts, and also admitted to searching for and downloading child pornography, the statement said.

Martes-Rosario was fired from his position in Mayor Brian DePeña’s office after his arrest, The Boston Globe reported.

“The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000,” Levy’s office said. “The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.”

Representation for Martes-Rosario did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the guilty plea.