Andover Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

Andover Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for

Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

CONCORD - Dale Howe, 37, of Andover, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his production and possession of child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.

On November 10, 2025, the U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro sentenced Mr. Howe on three counts of production of child sexual abuse material to 324 months' imprisonment, and one count of possession of child pornography to 120 months' imprisonment, to be served concurrently. The Court also sentenced Mr. Howe to 10 years of federal supervision following his release from prison.

"Exploiting and abusing vulnerable children, and then documenting that abuse, is among the most serious crimes we prosecute," said United States Attorney Creegan. "Mr. Howe's extreme conduct fully warranted the significant sentence imposed. Our office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in identifying and prosecuting those who prey upon children for their own gratification."

According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Mr. Howe sexually assaulted a minor victim, providing the minor victim with drugs during the course of the abuse. The defendant created images of the sexual abuse, which were found during a search of his phone. The defendant distributed some of the sexual abuse images through the internet. The defendant also possessed more than 3,500 files of unrelated child sexual abuse material.

"The scope of Howe's crimes is staggering and deeply troubling. He not only possessed child sexual abuse materials but became a hands-on offender, drugging and assaulting a child. The horrific abuse Howe inflicted upon his victim cannot be undone, but this sentence puts Howe behind bars and away from children for over a decade. We hope that this significant sentence brings some measure of justice to those who have been impacted by his crimes," said Michael J. Krol from Homeland Security Investigations New England.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Andover Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Merrimack County Sheriff's Office, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children, and the Derry Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Cherniske and Anna Krasinski prosecuted the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.