A Kenduskeag man on Monday pleaded guilty in federal court in Bangor to two counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
Justin Leonard, 24, was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security based on a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to court records cited by the U.S. Department of Justice in a news release.
In February 2024, federal investigators used a warrant to search Leonard’s home. Leonard was there at the time and provided the password and Face ID to a hidden folder on his phone where investigators found multiple sexually explicit images and videos of two “very young children” that Leonard admitted to having taken, the DOJ said.
A forensic review of Leonard’s phone found Facebook chats where he expressed a desire to “acquire children,” the DOJ said. The browser history of Leonard’s phone allegedly indicated an interest in Rohypnol, the sedative “date rape drug” also known as “roofies.”
According to the DOJ, Leonard’s queries included, “youngest age you can safely give a roofie” and “Is there any drug that can make a person unconscious for 2 hours?”
For each count of producing child pornography, Leonard faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release, according to the DOJ. For the child pornography possession count, he faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release.
