Colebrook Man Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography
Friday, January 3, 2025, 9:15 A.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
BURLINGTON, VT.- Yesterday, U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest reported that on Thursday, December 19, 2024, a Federal Grand Jury for the District of Vermont returned an indictment charging Joshua Hartness, 45, of Colebrook, New Hampshire, with one count of Possession of Child Pornography.
On Friday, December 20, 2024, Hartness appeared in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vermont, and entered a plea of not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Hartness be released on federal bail monitoring conditions.
According to the charging information unsealed in the indictment, it has been alleged that between May 22, 2022, and August 26, 2022, possessed one or more digital images and video files depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
If convicted of the charge unsealed in the indictment, Hartness faces up to 20 years in federal prison, followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A U.S. District Court judge would determine the actual term of imprisonment based on the seriousness of the offense and Hartness’s prior criminal history, if any.
“The rules of the federal court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
