SPRINGFIELD — A Turners Falls man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child sexual abuse material and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30.

Edward Dunphy, 79, of Second Street, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.

According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Dunphy was identified through an investigation of peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. At least 340,000 child sexual abuse material files were found on Dunphy’s computer and external hard drives during a search of his home on May 18, 2023.

In an affidavit filed in court by a U.S. Secret Service agent, the U.S. Secret Service Boston Digital Forensics Lab conducted an online investigation, in which agents began monitoring an account that was downloading files investigators know to be associated with child pornography. A subpoena was then issued to Comcast, which delivered records tracing the IP address to Dunphy’s apartment.

On March 2, 2023, a Secret Service agent conducted a search of wireless networks in the area, which revealed a network sharing a name associated with an account that was downloading and sharing child pornography files.

When a search warrant was executed on May 18, 2023, Dunphy answered the door and investigators located a desktop computer with an internal hard drive, eight external hard drives, a cellphone and other items containing more than 340,000 files with child pornography, according to documents filed in federal court.

The charge of possession of child pornography carries the potential for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. sentencing guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the Montague Police Department.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.