Pittsfield — The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office secured the conviction of a Lanesborough man on child pornography charges Thursday afternoon (November 5).
Robert Dufur, 37, pled guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography and single counts of disseminating harmful matter to a minor, exhibiting a child in the nude, and exhibiting a child in a sexual act.
Judge John Agostini sentenced Dufur to four to five years in state prison and five years’ probation after. The state’s sentencing guidelines recommend three to five years in state prison.
Newbury Police Department led an undercover investigation of Dufur in which Dufur sent obscene material to an officer posing on social media as a young teenage girl. Pittsfield Police arrested Dufur on December 1, 2018.
Police found Dufur in possession of child pornography and evidence that he sent inappropriate photos to a young girl in another state and solicited the girl for obscene material in return. None of the victims lived in Berkshire County.
“I thank the Newbury Police and the multiple assisting law enforcement agencies for their hard work in developing this case and bringing Mr. Dufur into custody,” District Attorney Andrea Harrington said.
“The Internet creates an easy avenue for perpetrators to victimize children. We ask parents to keep an eye on their teens’ social media use and we ask teens to be cautious when interacting with people they do not personally know online.”
The Berkshire State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, Adams Police, Lanesborough Police, Georgetown Police, North Shore Police, Pittsfield Police, and Michigan State Police assisted Newbury Police’s investigation.
Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington’s office serves all 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County. The office represents the Commonwealth in more than 7,500 criminal cases per year in Berkshire Superior Court, three district courts, three juvenile courts, Massachusetts Appeals Court, and Supreme Judicial Court. The office works closely with the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force, and collaborates with local police departments across the county. A dedicated staff of more than 50 prioritizes public safety, empowering victims and witnesses through services and support, and building a safe community for everyone and especially the most vulnerable.
