Authorities say a man from Massachusetts has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for trafficking in thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse while incarcerated at a federal prison in New Jersey on previous child porn-related charges.

U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger says 57-year-old William H. Noble, 57, of Lowell, MA, was convicted in November 2021 after a three-day jury trial of conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography, receiving child pornography, distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography, and accessing with intent to view child pornography on federal property.

According to Sellinger's office, from November 1, 2016, through April 26, 2017, while an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix, Noble participated in a conspiracy with other inmates to receive and distribute child pornography.

Noble was in prison serving an 81-month sentence following his guilty plea in the District of Massachusetts to transportation and possession of child pornography. He was scheduled to be released on March 8, 2018.

Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix - Photo: Google Maps
Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix - Photo: Google Maps
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Officials say while in prison, Noble and his conspirators accessed images of child sexual abuse on the "dark web" using cell phones that had been smuggled into the prison. They then stored the images on micro SD cards, which they shared.

On April 19, 2017, Noble transferred a micro SD card containing over 2,400 images and nearly 100 videos of child sexual abuse to a government informant. Many of the images and videos depicted the sexual abuse of prepubescent children, including infants and toddlers. At the time of the transfer, Noble was recorded describing the child sexual abuse images and videos to the informant. Noble’s conspirators were also recorded describing Noble’s role and conduct in furtherance of the conspiracy.

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When Noble was arrested in February 2018, he confessed to the FBI.

The charges against Noble stem from a long-term investigation by the FBI which led to similar charges against seven other inmates at Fort Dix. All of the other defendants have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.

In addition to the prison term, Noble was also ordered to pay $63,415 in restitution to the victims.

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