Man released from jail over COVID fears arrested for child porn

CONCORD - A Massachusetts man, out of jail due to COVID-19 fears, has been arrested on a federal complaint charging him with distributing child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's office said on Tuesday.

The complaint filed in court alleges that in early May 2020, an undercover officer in New Hampshire met Russell Graham, 40, of Lowell, in an internet chatroom and that Graham soon began sending the undercover officer videos and images of child pornography.

Graham also told the undercover officer that he was wearing an ankle bracelet and had been released from jail because of COVID-19. According to court documents, Graham had in fact been in jail for child pornography-related charges in Massachusetts and was released on April 9 with a GPS ankle bracelet.

Graham was arrested on May 22, 2020, and appeared before a federal magistrate judge Tuesday. He was detained pending further proceedings.

The case was investigated by the Nashua Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.