The images Andrew Ladich-McGrew possessed included videos of toddlers being sexually abused
BANGOR, Maine – An Ohio man was sentenced Dec. 9 in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Andrew Ladich-McGrew, 28, to 72 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $28,000 in restitution.
“Ladich-McGrew hoarded horrific images of the sexual abuse of young children. In addition to significant restitution, today’s sentence puts him behind bars and ensures he’ll be under supervision for years to come,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
According to court records, in June 2020, investigators with Maine State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at an apartment Ladich-McGrew was renting in Presque Isle. The search warrant was based on a report by electronic service provider Discord that Ladich-McGrew’s account was involved in the possession of sexually explicit images of children under the age of 16. Discord is an online communication platform that, among other functions, allows users to communicate with text-based chats and to send and receive media files. During the initial investigation, images and videos were found on an online storage drive connected to Ladich-McGrew’s computer. In November 2020, a second investigation was launched, leading investigators to a computer that contained multiple files of child sexual abuse material. As with the external hard drive, the images included children as young as three years old being sexually abused. At the time of his arrest, Ladich-McGrew was living in Ohio.
HSI New England’s Houlton Resident Agent in Charge office and the Maine State Police investigated the case.
HSI is a global leader in the fight against child exploitation. Last year, HSI special agents dedicated 1.2 million case hours toward investigating child exploitation. This heinous crime harms the most vulnerable in our society: our kids. As technology evolves and more people have access to the internet, children are at a greater risk than ever. HSI’s special agents and analysts around the world are dedicated to countering this threat.
Report suspected child exploitation to the HSI Tip Line at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.
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