RI Catholic Priest Sentenced For Downloading Child Pornography

PROVIDENCE, RI — A former Rhode Island Catholic priest was sentenced Wednesday to six years in federal prison after admitting to downloading tens of thousands of files containing child pornography.

The Rev. James Jackson, 68, pleaded guilty on June 8, to receipt of child pornography. Jackson was a priest at St. Mary's Church in Providence.

Prosecutors said the investigation into Jackson began in September 2021, when an East Providence police detective assigned to the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force identified an IP address at St. Mary's Church being used to share files of sexual abuse of a child. According to prosecutors, the IP address was for a computer in a church rectory bedroom assigned to Jackson.

Authorities searched the computer and another device Jackson used and found more than 12,000 images and 1,300 videos of child pornography, prosecutors said.

Jackson was arraigned in November 2021 and was later released to the custody of his sister in Kansas. But then in June 2022, police in Kansas traced an IP address where Jackson was staying, searched the home and found more files containing child pornography, prosecutors said.

Following his prison sentence, he must serve five years of federal probation and pay restitution to be determined at a later date.

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