Massachusetts

Former Norwell Youth Coach Charged With Sexual Exploitation of Children

A former Norwell, Massachusetts, youth football coach was charged with sexual exploitation of children on Wednesday in Boston federal court, according to the Massachusetts Department of Justice.

Derek Sheehan, 48, was charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of children. He is currently in state custody on related charges pending in the Hingham District Court, including three counts of aggravated rape of a child, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age and four counts of possessing child pornography.

On Aug. 17, police executed a search warrant at Sheehan's home and seized a cellphone that revealed evidence of child pornography. There were hours of video footage of Sheehan, on multiple dates, sexually abusing a child who appeared to be asleep at Sheehan's home, according to police. At the times of the assaults, the child was 11 and 12 years old.

Given the number of devices seized by police and the high storage capacity of the devices, and the fact that investigators have found some of the devices to be encrypted, forensic analysis remains ongoing.

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