57°
Walkersville resident Paul Francis Blaisse, 63, is facing a 13-count indictment in Maryland charging him for his role in distributing and receiving images and video depicting the sexual abuse of children, including some pre-pubescent victims.
According to court documents, between 2013 and 2019, Blaisse used Internet chat applications to engage in sexually explicit video chats with minors based in southeast Asia, including at least one recording of a video chat with a prepubescent child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
For the next six years, it is alleged that Blaisse used Skype to communicate with others in Asia who passed on images showing the abuse, while he returned the favor.
Blaisse came to the attention of police investigators in Maryland after Skype notified the NCMEC that he had uploaded child sexual abuse material onto his account. The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office then obtained a warrant to search his Walkersville home.
During that search and seizure, officials said that investigators recovered multiple digital devices belonging to Blaisse that contained child sexual abuse materials.
Blaisse was charged with:
- Two counts of sexual exploitation of children;
- Five counts of distribution of child pornography;
- Three counts of receipt of child pornography;
- Three counts of possession of child pornography.
If convicted, Blaisse faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The FBI and Frederick County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hagerstown and receive free news updates.
