Police allege New Hampshire man, 20, buys child sexual abuse material with crypto on the dark web

A 20-year-old Hudson, New Hampshire, man is being held without bail after police said he bought and possessed child sexual abuse material through the dark web, following a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Caden Niles was arrested on October 28, 2026, and entered no plea at his arraignment on October 29. He faces seven counts of possessing child sexual abuse images, one count of prohibited use of computer services and two drug charges. The charges are allegations, and he has not been convicted..

Digital evidence leads to additional charges

During the July search, investigators seized electronic equipment, including a computer and storage devices. The materials were subsequently subjected to forensic examination with assistance from the Nashua Police Department.

According to Hudson police, investigators reviewed the extracted data and found photographs and videos containing suspected child sexual abuse material.

The investigation also uncovered a suspected psilocybin mushroom cultivation operation inside a basin in Niles’ bedroom, police reported. Authorities said they found packages containing other suspected drugs during the search.

These findings resulted in additional allegations beyond the suspected online activity. Niles faces one count of controlled drug manufacturing and one count of controlled drug possession, alongside charges connected to the alleged possession of child sexual abuse material and computer use.

The forensic examination was a significant part of the investigation because it allowed authorities to review data recovered from the seized devices. Police have not publicly detailed the complete digital evidence or explained how individual transactions were linked to the alleged offences.

Caden Niles faces multiple criminal counts

Niles was arrested without incident in Keene, New Hampshire, with assistance from the Keene Police Department. He was then transported to the Hudson Police Department for booking before being taken to Valley Street Jail.

At his arraignment on Thursday, October 29, Niles entered no plea to the charges and was ordered held without bail. He was scheduled to return to court on Tuesday, November 3.

The charges reported by the Lowell Sun include one count of prohibited use of computer services, seven counts of possession of child sexual abuse images, one count of controlled drug manufacturing and one count of controlled drug possession.

The charges represent allegations, not findings of guilt. Niles’ decision not to enter a plea at the arraignment does not establish whether the allegations are true, and the case remains subject to the judicial process.

The investigation involved Hudson police, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Nashua Police Department and the Keene Police Department.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which initially alerted authorities through a CyberTip, operates a reporting system through which suspected online child exploitation can be brought to the attention of law enforcement.

The available report does not provide further details about the suspected cryptocurrency payments, including their value, the dates of individual transactions or the identity of any other people who may have been involved.