A prominent member of the Shrewsbury High School’s robotics team, Brian Lingard, was taken into custody on Monday on charges of possessing and transporting child pornography. This shocking incident has sent shockwaves through the community, where Lingard was regarded as a dedicated mentor and respected member of society.
The arrest took place after Lingard flew back from Paris to Boston on October 19. During a routine customs screening, authorities discovered images on his phone that involved child sexual abuse material. Lingard was subsequently taken to federal court in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy.
While Lingard has been released on a $10,000 bond, he currently faces strict conditions of house arrest. These conditions include wearing a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet, surrendering all passports, refraining from using any internet-accessible devices, and avoiding contact with minors or places where minors frequently gather.
Disturbingly, evidence extracted from the SD card of Lingard’s phone contained images of minors under the age of 10. Notably, a few of the images were previously identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as victims of child sexual abuse. In addition to these explicit images, there were numerous photographs of fully clothed underage girls, seemingly taken surreptitiously at Shrewsbury High School.
Investigations also led to the discovery of further alleged material depicting child sexual abuse at Lingard’s residence. His attorney, Kensley Barrett, stated that while he had not yet reviewed all the evidence, many of the photos had reportedly been sourced from the social media platform Instagram.
In a statement released to Shrewsbury families, School Superintendent Joseph Sawyer expressed his deep concern about the incident. He assured the community that they were not aware of any prior concerns related to Lingard’s involvement with the robotics team, emphasizing that Lingard had successfully passed all required background checks.
The school district has taken immediate action to distance Lingard from any interactions with students or faculty members. Lingard’s role within the school’s technology system has been confirmed by the IT department to be nonexistent, limiting any potential harm caused by his presence.
This disturbing incident serves as a reminder of the utmost importance of safeguarding our children and remaining vigilant against such heinous crimes. The Shrewsbury community is deeply shocked by this revelation, but they are determined to support the affected individuals and maintain a safe environment for all.
FAQs:
Q: What are the charges against Brian Lingard?
A: Brian Lingard has been arrested on charges of possessing and transporting child pornography.
Q: What actions have been taken after Lingard’s arrest?
A: Lingard has been released on bond but is currently under strict house arrest with GPS monitoring. He must adhere to a set of conditions that include surrendering passports, refraining from internet-accessible devices, and avoiding contact with minors or places where minors gather.
Q: What evidence was found against Lingard?
A: Evidence extracted from Lingard’s phone included images of minors under 10 years old involved in explicit material. Additionally, photographs of clothed underage girls, seemingly taken without their knowledge, were discovered, some of which were taken at Shrewsbury High School.
Q: How has the school district responded to Lingard’s arrest?
A: The school district has taken immediate action to ensure Lingard has no contact with students or faculty members. Lingard’s involvement with the school’s technology system has been confirmed to be nonexistent, minimizing potential harm caused by his presence.