Man who worked as sleep technologist at children's hospital arrested on child porn charges
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A Rhode Island man who worked as a sleep technologist at a children’s hospital for the past seven years was arrested on child pornography charges.
David Lavoie, a 52-year-old from Johnston, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of possessing child pornography and the transfer of child pornography.
After a court appearance, Lavoie was released on $10,000 bail with special conditions including no contact with minors and limited internet use. He did not enter a plea.
Authorities started investigating after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported that someone was allegedly trading child pornography on the internet, and the corresponding internet address was traced to Lavoie’s home.
Members of the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at his Johnston residence and found digital child pornography allegedly belonging to Lavoie, police said.
Lavoie works as a pediatric sleep technologist at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, police said.
Sleep technologists help patients in the education, evaluation, treatment and follow-up of sleep disorders, according to the American Association of Sleep Technologists.
“At this time, there are no indications of any inappropriate behavior involving children at the hospital,” the state police said in a news release.
The hospital in a statement said it was “deeply concerned” by the allegations and suspended Lavoie without pay.
Parents of children under 16 are required to stay with their child during a sleep study, and all sleep studies are videotaped and reviewed by another staffer at the hospital, a statement to the Providence Journal said.
The investigation remained ongoing and anyone with further information was asked to contact the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at (401) 921-1170.
This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.