An Andover resident, Dale Howe, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the production and possession of child sexual abuse material. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack.
Howe, 37, admitted guilt to three counts of Production of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography. Sentencing is set for November 5, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro.
Court documents and statements indicate that Howe provided drugs to a minor victim and sexually assaulted the victim. He created images documenting the abuse, which were discovered during a search of his phone. Howe also distributed at least three images depicting child sexual abuse through a social media platform and possessed more than 3,500 files containing unrelated child sexual abuse material.
The statutory penalties for Production of Child Pornography include a minimum prison term of 15 years and up to 30 years, fines up to $250,000, and supervised release for at least five years. For Possession of Child Pornography, the maximum prison term is ten years with similar fines and supervised release terms. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the Andover Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office, New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), and Derry Police Department. Assistant U.S Attorneys Heather A. Cherniske and Anna Z. Krasinski are prosecuting the case.
“###
