Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced that Kyle Sausville, 31, of Milton Vermont, was arrested and arraigned on September 4, 2020, on two felony counts and one misdemeanor count of possession of child pornography. The charges brought against Mr. Sausville are the result of a criminal investigation—including the execution of residential and online data search warrants—conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Vermont State Police, South Burlington Police Department, University of Vermont Police Services, Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations, Milton Police Department, and the Essex Police Department.
The investigation was initiated when VT-ICAC received a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual was placing what was suspected to be images of child sexual abuse materials, commonly referred to as “child pornography,” on the Google Gmail platform. Based upon the criminal investigation of this tip, Mr. Sausville was identified as the source of the suspected content placed on the Google Gmail account.
Mr. Sausville pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in the Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Criminal Division. The Court, Judge Howard E. Van Benthuysen presiding, set bail of $50,000 on Mr. Sausville and ordered conditions of release which prohibit his access to minors and the internet.
VT-ICAC investigates cases of child sexual exploitation occurring over the internet, including the production and online sharing of child sexual abuse materials. VT-ICAC also provides forensic examination services, technical assistance, law enforcement training, and public education and outreach. The Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Vermont State Police, and other federal, state, county, and municipal law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies are affiliated with VT-ICAC.
The Attorney General emphasizes that individuals charged with a crime are legally presumed innocent until their guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.