CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Lawrence Marks, 35, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, appeared in United States District Court today and was sentenced to 12 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to transportation of a minor in interstate commerce for illegal sexual activity, announced U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

In November of 2014, the New Hampshire State Police were conducting an investigation into the possible sexual abuse of several children in Franklin, New Hampshire. The investigation led to Lawrence Marks of Tewksbury, Massachusetts whom several witnesses identified as a man seen frequently with one of the minor children. Marks subsequently confessed to taking the child from New Hampshire to Massachusetts on several occasions where he engaged in sexual activity with her.

Marks will be supervised by U.S. Probation for 5 years after his release from prison. He will be required to register as a sex offender in any state in which he lives or works.

The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the Franklin Police Department in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Billerica, Massachusetts, Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen Fitzgibbon.

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 Attorneys 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.

United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice, District of New Hampshire
CONTACT: Dena Blanco (603) 230-2567