A Plymouth man was arrested Tuesday morning in connection with paying for a livestream showing the sexual abuse of two young children in the Philippines, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
Robert Meserve, 38, was arrested in New Jersey and charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a press release.
The investigation into Meserve began in June 2025 when police in Bergen County, New Jersey, received a report about an individual who was paying for livestreams of child sexual abuse, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. The report indicated that an individual, who was later identified as Meserve, was paying to direct and record livestreams in which adults would sexually abuse children in their care.
An initial forensic examination of Meserve’s electronic devices revealed digital files consistent with child sexual abuse material, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. Investigators also discovered communications with the abusers and payments that matched plans and requests detailed in the correspondence.
The abused children were revealed to be an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old located in the Philippines, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. One of the children was disabled and non-verbal.
Meserve is set to make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. He faces 15 to 30 years in prison, five years to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.
