The gavel came down hard in a Boston federal courtroom last week, marking the end of a disturbing chapter for a North Shore community. Alexander Aiello, a 34-year-old former officer with the Gloucester Police Department, was sentenced on January 23 to four years in federal prison.
The sentence, handed down by U.S. Senior District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV, follows Aiello’s guilty plea last October to a single count of possessing child pornography.
The case against the former lawman paints a grim picture of a double life. Federal investigators revealed that throughout 2024 and early 2025, Aiello was a frequent visitor to a dark web domain—a corner of the internet hidden from standard search engines—dedicated to the distribution and advertising of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
READ: Georgia Duo Sentenced To Prison In Louisiana After $3.5 Million Romance Scam Crumbles
While Aiello was sworn to uphold the law on the streets of Gloucester, he was secretly navigating encrypted networks to access illicit content.
The investigation reached a breaking point on April 28, 2025, when authorities executed a search warrant at Aiello’s home.
The raid turned up more than just the usual electronics; agents found a cell phone, a laptop, and a heavily encrypted USB thumb drive tucked away in a bedroom nightstand. Tech experts from the FBI later discovered the laptop was running a TOR Browser—a tool often used to mask identity online—at the time of the seizure. Once investigators managed to crack the encryption on the thumb drive, they uncovered over 200 files of prohibited material.
READ: California Parents Sentenced To Life For ‘Monstrous’ Beheading Of Children
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, alongside FBI Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks, announced the sentencing as a victory for “Project Safe Childhood,” a national initiative aimed at curbing online exploitation.
While the Gloucester Police Department assisted in the investigation that ultimately led to their former colleague’s downfall, the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm. Beyond his four-year prison stint, Aiello faces a steep road ahead, including five years of supervised release once he leaves federal custody.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
