CONCORD – John E. Murray, III, of Alton Bay was indicted by a federal grand jury on Monday and charged with twelve counts of production of child pornography and four counts of sex trafficking of a minor, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.

            Murray was a manager at the West Alton Marina on Alton Bay, where he was responsible for hiring and supervising seasonal employees, many of whom were minors.  The indictment alleges that Murray solicited minor employees of the marina for sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, often in exchange for cash.  He is also accused of subjecting minor employees to unwanted sexual contact and sexual acts. The offenses alleged in the indictment took place over the course of several years and date back to at least 2015.  Murray has been in state custody since August 2021 on related charges.

            The charges in the indictment are only allegations.  The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Alton Police Department, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police, the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland.

In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.