A 32-year-old Alexandria man faces 10 years behind bars for allegedly possessing child pornography from 2016 to 2018.
Sean Michael McLaughlin, a registered nurse at Virginia Hospital Center at the time of his arrest last October, was convicted in federal court of child porn possession on September 11. According to court records, McLaughlin downloaded videos with prepubescent children “engaging in sexual activity” and being restrained with bondage and being sexually assaulted by adults.
“McLaughlin admitted to repeatedly searching for, downloading, viewing, and possessing child pornography,” according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia’s office.
The videos were downloaded on the eDonkey2000 peer-to-peer network, according to a search warrant affidavit. The first videos were downloaded in 2017 from McLaughlin’s mother’s house, according to the affidavit.
“McLaughlin stated that after he downloads the material he deletes the files and then uninstalls the program,” the affidavit noted. “McLaughlin estimated that he had downloaded 50 videos that contained child sexual exploitation material in the past year.”
McLaughlin will be sentenced on January 20, 2021.
