Salem EMT arrested for allegedly possessing baby porn, DOJ says

A Salem emergency medical technician was arrested Wednesday for allegedly receiving and possessing baby sexual abuse materials, federal prosecutors stated.

Connor McAuliffe, 34, was charged Wednesday with one depend of receipt of kid pornography and one depend of possession of kid pornography. He was arrested Wednesday morning at his house, United States Lawyer for Massachusetts Leah B. Foley stated in a press launch. 

McAuliffe is employed as an EMT by an emergency providers firm and holds an lively paramedic certificates, in line with the charging doc.

A collateral felony investigation performed in 2023 headed by the South African Police Companies in Pretoria, South Africa allegedly recognized McAuliffe in January 2025 as an “lively member” of encrypted messaging teams centered on buying and selling CSAM, in line with the charging doc. 

The teams consisted of greater than 1,000 members globally. Extra investigation allegedly pinpointed McAuliffe as a member of at the very least 14 different discussion groups “on that one chat utility devoted to sharing CSAM,” the discharge stated. 

After McAuliffe’s cellphone was taken throughout a residence search in March 2025, a forensic overview allegedly divulged that he was part of roughly 100 group-chats centered on CSAM on quite a few messaging functions, officers wrote within the launch. 

“The chats allegedly had titles equivalent to ‘Boys Planet,’ ‘Boys of Eden,’ ‘boys video,’ ‘10 to 16 years sizzling boys,’ and ‘Chicos ninos y adolescentes cp’ – which interprets to ‘Boys, kids and adolescents CP,’” the discharge stated. 

A subsequent overview of the cellphone’s information allegedly disclosed that McAuliffe had downloaded roughly 1,500 pictures and 50 movies depicting CSAM. A number of of the information allegedly detailed the rape, abuse, or exploitation of minor boys who appeared aged 9 to 11 years outdated, officers stated within the launch. 

McAuliffe was ordered to be detained pending an Aug. 12 listening to, authorities stated. An lawyer listed for him didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Wednesday evening.

The case is part of Venture Secure Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Division of Justice aiming to fight baby sexual abuse and exploitation. 

Anybody with questions, considerations, or details about this case can name 617-748-3274.