Fall River Man Arrested for Attempted Production of Child Pornography, Reports U.S. Attorney

A Fall River man was arrested this morning on a complaint charging him with attempted production of child pornography.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Peter Zegarac, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in New England, announced that MARK HAMELIN, age 46, of 338 Center Street, Fall River, Massachusetts, was charged in a complaint with attempting to persuade, induce, coerce or entice a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, an undercover investigation was initiated in December of 2005, by the Wheaton Police Department in Wheaton, Illinois. The undercover investigation involved a detective portraying himself as a 15 year old female high school student while online in Internet chat rooms. It is alleged that at various times during the time period of December 13, 2005 through January 13, 2006, HAMELIN communicated online with the undercover detective. It is further alleged, during some of these online conversations HAMELIN attempted to coerce the undercover into sending sexually explicit photographs to him both online and via the U.S. mail.

HAMELIN was arrested today on the charges. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein and is being held pending a detention and probable cause hearing scheduled for January 24, 2006. If convicted, HAMELIN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Wheaton Police Department in Wheaton, Illinois. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Gershengorn in Sullivan's Major Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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