BOSTON — A court probation officer who also serves as a little league umpire was arraigned Friday on child exploitation and child pornography charges, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.
Michael O’Reilly of West Roxbury is charged with one count each of posing a child in a state of nudity and dissemination of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography.
He is a probation officer assigned to Brookline District Court and serves as an umpire and umpire coordinator for Parkway Little League in West Roxbury.
O’Reilly appeared in the West Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Court Friday after posting $5,000 and being released from a Boston Police station Thursday night.
Since O’Reilly appeared in court, Assistant District Attorney Anna Holding of District Attorney Rollins’ Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit did not request additional bail beyond the posted amount.
At Holding’s request, Judge Kathleen Coffey ordered that O’Reilly stay away from and have no contact with any child under 18 and have GPS monitoring. O’Reilly, who is represented by Christopher Perruzzi, is due back in court on Dec. 1.
Earlier this month, the Boston Police Department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alleging that an individual, later identified as O’Reilly, had shared sexual abuse material on a messenger app, prompting an investigation led by detectives assigned to the Boston Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Human Trafficking Unit and assisted by members of Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and members of Rollins’ Human Trafficking and Exploitation Unit.
Police executed a search warrant at his home last week and found items belonging to O’Reilly that contained child sexual abuse material.
“I’m grateful to our local and federal law enforcement partners who acted quickly and collaboratively in response to these allegations, and to my team for their ongoing work on this case,” Rollins said. “As parents, caretakers and adults of conscience, these allegations are disturbing and difficult to hear, let alone talk about. Perpetrators of these crimes rely on their victims’ silence. For that reason, it’s vital that we talk about child abuse and exploitation. We want victims to know they are not alone, and perpetrators need to know that we will hold them accountable. My office is available to provide services to abuse and exploitation survivors in Suffolk County to connect them with resources and support on their journey toward healing.”
While the victims and witnesses of any crime should call 911 in an emergency, there are additional resources available to report suspected crimes against children.
In Suffolk County, survivors of child abuse and exploitation and their non-offending caretakers can receive comprehensive services at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. The CAC can be reached at 617-779-2146.
Anyone who believes that a child in Massachusetts may be the victim of abuse can call the Department of Children and Families’ Child at Risk Hotline at 1-800-792-5200.
Those concerned that a child is being exploited online may report a Cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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