BOSTON - A Pittsfield, Mass. man has been convicted by a federal jury in Springfield of transporting a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity.

Paul Newton-Irelan, 53, was found guilty of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Feb. 1, 2026. Newton-Irelan was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024.

On Nov. 26, 2023, Newton-Irelan transported a minor victim, an 11-year-old child, from New York to Massachusetts, with the intent that the minor would engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, namely, rape and abuse of a child.

The charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, no less than five years of supervised release and up to supervised release for life and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Substantial assistance was provided by the Pittsfield Police Department and the Schenectady Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Schenectady County District Attorney's Office and the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Merck and David Tobin of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

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 the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.