The feds say a Massachusetts National Guard master sergeant arrested on child pornography exploited his own kin and claimed to have sexually molested two of them before they were 2 years old.

Nicholas Wells, 43, stationed at Otis Air National Guard Base in Sandwich as part of the 102 Security Forces, was arrested earlier this week at his home and charged with both possession and distribution of child pornography. He consented to voluntary detention at his initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Thursday, according to court records.

“The charges against Nicholas Wells are very serious. Criminal activity is not compatible with our values as an organization and will not be tolerated in our ranks,” the Massachusetts National Guard told the Herald through a spokesperson. “These alleged crimes are separate from his military service and as such, the civilian criminal justice system holds jurisdiction. Any further inquiries should be directed to the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

Allegations

The FBI affidavit supporting the charges includes horrific details of Wells’ alleged deeds.

Not only did Special Agent Derek Black allegedly find 312 images and 109 videos of suspected child pornography on Wells’ phone, but he also says that Wells wrote at length of his desire for little girls and even claimed to have sexually assaulted two of young family members while they were still in diapers.

That’s according to three alleged chats in the Kik messaging app with an undercover law enforcement agent that are included in the affidavit.

Wells allegedly created the pseudonym “Chris Davis” for his Kik account — but the investigation found that the account posts from an IP address that points straight to the home of Wells and his wife.

Wells in the Kik chats shared fully clothed photos of all four of his children during a trip to Dollywood, the Dolly Parton-themed amusement park in Tennessee, according to the affidavit, before also sharing a nearly 2-minute child pornography video of different young girls.

When the FBI executed a search warrant on March 5, Wells allegedly admitted to the allegations when he agreed to speak with agents in a recorded interview.

He said that he doesn’t know where he obtained the child pornography video he shared in the chats, but that “he generally copied and pasted videos depicting child pornography from chats on Kik.”

“WELLS further admitted that he watches videos depicting child pornography and his preference is videos (and photos) that involve underage girls,” the affidavit states.

Career

Wells obtained the rank of master sergeant, E-7, in November 2022 and has earned three commendation medals — one each from the Army, Navy and Air Force — and achievement medals from the Army and Air Force, according to the Massachusetts National Guard. He joined the organization in November 1998.

The Guard removed Wells from his full-time position, barred him from Otis and suspended his security clearance on March 5, 2024. His “scheduled separation date” is Nov. 1, 2024.

Originally Published: October 25, 2024 at 3:34 p.m.