Press Release  Dorchester Man Indicted for Possessing Child Pornography

Boston —  A Dorchester man has been indicted in connection with allegedly possessing child pornography while he was on probation for a previous violation, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

George Shipps, age 54, of Dorchester, was indicted on Thursday by a Suffolk County Grand Jury on the charges of Possession of Child Pornography (one count) and Second or Subsequent Offense of Possession of Child Pornography (one count). He will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date. 

On April 28, during a regularly scheduled office visit, Shipps’ probation officer found images of alleged child pornography on Shipps’ cell phone. Following the discovery, authorities allege that Shipps fled the court prior to his hearing on the probation violation before the Clerk Magistrate. On the same day, State Police obtained and executed a search warrant for Shipps’ bedroom in a Dorchester residence. A subsequent investigation of devices seized revealed alleged images of child pornography.

State Police assigned to the AG’s Office with assistance from the Boston Police Department arrested Shipps on May 4 at an apartment in Hyde Park without incident. He was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on May 10. Judge Thomas Horgan set bail at $50,000 with various conditions of release.

In April 2011, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Judith Fabricant sentenced Shipps to serve three to five years in state prison with two consecutive five-year probation terms after he pleaded guilty to the charges of Possession of Child Pornography (six counts) and Distribution of Child Pornography (two counts). Under the terms of his probation, Shipps is not allowed to view or possess child pornography and he must also allow the Department of Probation to inspect and search, without prior announcement, any computer, electronic device, digital media, videotape or photographs, or any other item capable of storing photographs, images or depictions for the purpose of monitoring compliance with these conditions, among other conditions.

The AG’s Office is working in conjunction with the Suffolk Superior Court Probation Department regarding Shipps violating the terms of his probation.

These charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Allyson Portney, of AG Healey’s Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crimes Division. The case was investigated by State Police assigned to the AG’s Office with assistance from Boston Police and the AG’s Digital Evidence Laboratory.

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