BANGOR, Maine — A 37-year-old Bangor man who was convicted of possessing child pornography in 2006 pleaded guilty to the same charge Thursday during an appearance in U.S. District Court.
According to federal prosecutors, Joshua Dunston uploaded multiple images of child pornography to online accounts he controlled from about March 17 to about May 5. Dunston also kept scores of additional images depicting the sexual exploitation of young children on his cellphone
At the time of these acts, Dunston was on supervised release for a 2006 child pornography conviction.
A resident of Houlton at that time, Dunston is believed to have been the first person in Maine to face federal charges for using his cellphone to download child pornography, according to published reports.
He faced a minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison because he was convicted in state court five years earlier of possession of sexually explicit materials and of sexual abuse of a minor.
Dunton’s criminal record dates to 2001. His convictions in state court include violating conditions of release, negotiating a worthless instrument, possession of sexually explicit materials and sexual abuse of a minor.
He was required to register as a sex offender because of the sexual abuse conviction and was registered at the time of his arrest on federal charges.
For the charge to which he pleaded guilty on Thursday, Dunston faces 10 to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and between five years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation that led to the guilty plea was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Bangor Police Department.
To reach a sexual assault advocate, call the Statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 800-871-7741, TTY 888-458-5599. This free and confidential 24-hour service is accessible from anywhere in Maine. Calls are automatically routed to the closest sexual violence service provider.