City man pleads guilty to child exploitation after 2018 discovery of images taken with ‘spy cams’

CONCORD, NH –  Glen Lanchester, 53, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced Thursday.

Lanchester/MPD

According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2018, the Manchester Police Department executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence. They seized various electronic devices that contained images of children that were sexual in nature. The defendant later admitted that he had previously used spy cameras which he placed in the bathroom of his apartment to film minor girls using the bathroom and showering. He used these to create “child pornography” of at least two minor victims. Minor Victim #1, who is now an adult, viewed one of the images found on the defendant’s computer and identified herself as being approximately 7 or 8 years old at the time it was taken. The image of Minor Victim #1 constitutes child pornography.

Lanchester is scheduled to be sentenced on January 18, 2021.

“Child exploitation crimes are deeply troubling offenses that can cause tremendous trauma to their innocent victims,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Protecting children from harm is a very high priority of the law enforcement community in New Hampshire.  We will continue to work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who commit child exploitation crimes in the Granite State.”

“This conviction was only possible because of the close coordination built between local, state and federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire to combat child exploitation crimes in our region”, said Michael Shea, acting Special Agent In Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston. “During these trying times, we remain more committed than ever to strengthening our partnerships in order to help bring to justice those who seek to exploit and harm children.”

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Manchester Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. MacDonald.

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 Attorney’s 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.