Catholic priest sentenced to 6 years in federal prison for downloading child sexual abuse images

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Roman Catholic priest who admitted to a federal judge earlier this year that he downloaded and stored thousands of images of child sexual abuse has been sentenced to six years in federal prison.

The investigation into the Rev. James W. Jackson, 68, a former Rhode Island priest assigned to St. Mary’s Church in Providence, began in September 2021. He was sentenced Wednesday.

An East Providence detective identified an IP address assigned to the rectory at St. Mary’s Church that was being utilized to share files of child sexual abuse material, prosecutors said.

A court-authorized search of a computer and digital device located in a church rectory bedroom utilized by Jackson discovered images and videos of child sexual abuse.

A forensic audit of the devices subsequently identified over 12,000 images and 1,300 videos of child sexual abuse, according to Zachary Cunha, U.S. attorney for Rhode Island.

A lawyer for Jackson said Thursday that Jackson expressed “genuine remorse and sorrow” in court for his actions and those impacted by them.

“We respect the Court’s sentence, even though it exceeded the parties’ joint recommendation,” John Calcagni said in a written statement. “Mr. Jackson now looks forward to beginning his sentence, and also pursuing his appellate rights in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.”