A 49-year-old man from Wareham was charged on Friday for possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office.
Brandon Bendall, 49, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornograph, the release reads.
Bendall made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday and is being held in custody pending a detention hearing to be held at a later date.
Bendall is accused of being a member of an online chat group where members viewed and posted child sexual abuse material.
During a search of his home and phone, officials found nearly 9,400 images and videos of child sexual abuse material, including images of children as young as infants being sexual assaulted, Foley’s office wrote.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to “combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.”
