Lanesborough Man Charged in Newburyport With Sending Obscene Matter to a Child

A 35-year-old Lanesborough man was arrested on six counts of allegedly sending obscene matter to a child in the Essex County town of Newbury.

According to The Daily News in Newburyport, Robert Dufur of 125 Bull Hill Road was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 4 near his home and transported back to Newburyport Courthouse to face arraignment. Dufur had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on all six counts and was ordered held on a $10,000 cash bail. The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office confirmed he is being held at the Middleton House of Correction and is due back in court on Jan. 9 for a pretrial hearing.

The Daily News report states that the investigation into Dufur began in October with a detective in the Newbury Police Department monitoring his social media habits.

Massachusetts General Law states that each count of sending obscene matter to a minor carries a potential punishment of up to five years in state prison and a fine that could be as  high as $10,000.

There isn't a lot of information in the case due to an Essex County prosecutor who petitioned the court to impound the police report, according to The Daily News. Court documents state that this was successfully put in place to shield potential minor victims and to protect the Newbury Police's investigation of the matter.

The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office is asking anyone who may have information about Dufur's social media activity to contact the Pittsfield, Lanesborough or Adams Police Departments.

The Georgetown Police Department, Adams Police Department, Pittsfield Police Department, the Michigan State Police, the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Department in Virginia; the Helena Police Department in Montana and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department in Texas are all assisting with the investigation.