Plainville Man Ordered Detained After Federal Charge in Alleged Sexual Exploitation of 2-Year-Old
A forensic re-examination uncovered encrypted images that prompted a federal case with far harsher penalties.
Overview
- Ethan Irving, 36, was arrested this week and charged in U.S. District Court with one count of sexual exploitation of children.
- He appeared in Boston federal court on Thursday, was appointed a public defender, and was ordered held pending trial.
- Detectives found previously unseen images during a post-case forensic review of his phones, including content recovered from an encrypted messaging app.
- Charging documents say five sequential images allegedly show Irving engaged in sex acts with a 2-year-old girl, with one photo depicting his face.
- The case began with a 2025 Kik tip that led to state charges and probation in December; after the new discovery, police contacted the FBI and prosecutors say the federal count carries a 15-year mandatory minimum and up to 30 years.