Former Massachusetts Pastor Charged with Child Pornography Offenses | WPN World People News

BOSTON, MA—A former Brookline man who served at the First Spiritual Temple as a minister, teacher, counselor, and “medium” was indicted today in federal court on child pornography charges.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Boston Field Office, announced today that SIMEON P. STEFANIDAKIS, 59, currently of Old Greenwich, Connecticut, where he serves as the minister of the Albertson Memorial Church, was charged in an indictment with four counts of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

The indictment alleges that STEFANIDAKIS transported child pornography on October 9, 2008, and possessed child pornography on March 12, 2009.

If convicted on these charges, STEFANIDAKIS faces up to 20 years' imprisonment on each count of transportation of child pornography, and up to 10 years' imprisonment on the possession of child pornography; both would be followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Suffolk County (New York) Police Department. Significant assistance was provided by the Brookline Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Yoon of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit and Trial Attorney Bonnie Kane of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: FBI