Former Ellington Resident Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Porn

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A former Ellington resident charged with producing child pornography pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday. Simon Hessler, 47, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography, according to John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2016 and Nov. 2018, Hessler engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a girl under the age of 12, and used a cellular phone to produce images of the sexual abuse. Hessler kept dozens of these images on a USB drive, Durham said.

Forensic analysis of the USB drive also revealed hundreds of other images and videos of suspected child pornography, including images depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct, and thousands of images of child erotica, Durham said.

The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.

Hessler is also facing charges in two state jurisdictions. In the Hartford Judicial District, he is charged with commercial sex abuse of a minor under the age of 15 and attempt to commit sexual assault in the first degree. In the Tolland Judicial District, he is charged with four counts of risk of injury to a minor and sex assault in the fourth degree, according to Durham.

Under the terms of his federal plea agreement, Hessler will not argue for a sentence less than the statutory maximum of 30 years, to run concurrent with any sentence to be imposed in the state courts. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on March 4, 2020, Durham said.