Topsham Man Serving State Sentence for Sexual Abuse of Children Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges After Discovery of Hidden Devices Containing Child Sexual Abuse Material

Press Release

Former employer found hidden devices over 4 years after Henry Eichman's state conviction

PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to four counts of sexually exploiting a child.

According to court records, in August 2022, a worker from a Brunswick landscaping company found two laptops and several hard drives hidden under a kayak on the company's property. The employee opened the devices and discovered that they contained child sexual abuse material. They also recognized a former employee, Henry Eichman, 64, in some of the files. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) forensically examined the devices and recovered over 500 images and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including videos showing Eichman setting up a recording device and/or participating in the sexual abuse of four minor victims from 2014 to 2016. Eichman entered an Alford plea in state court in 2018 to the sexual abuse of children and is currently serving a 10-year sentence.

Eichman faces 15-30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, to be followed by five years to life of supervised release on each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Topsham Police Department.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material - referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" - captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims' exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Department's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

###

Contact

Updated December 10, 2024