Natick man requested sexually explicit photos from individual he thought was 12-year-old girl

A 51-year-old Natick man is facing charges that he attempted to obtain sexually explicit images and sexual acts from an individual online he believed was a 12-year-old girl, authorities announced Wednesday.

Scott Newman, 51, of Natick is charged with enticement of a child under 16 and attempting to commit a crime, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s office said in a statement. 

Prosecutors said that on July 15, Massachusetts State Police were contacted by the Defiance Police Department in Ohio about a suspect, later identified as Newman, who had allegedly been engaging online with a detective who had been posing as a 12-year-old girl as part of an undercover chat operation. 

Newman allegedly had sexually explicit conversations with the undercover officer, encouraged them to send him sexually explicit images, and sent photos of himself. He allegedly told the detective, who he believed was a 12-year-old girl, to keep their chats private.

“During their investigation Defiance Police were able to identify Newman as the suspect and learned that the defendant worked in a role overseeing family education and leadership and likely worked in close proximity to children,” the DA’s office said. 

Prosecutors said Newman has known ties to Natick, Sudbury, and Newton.

Newman has worked as director of education and engagement at Kerem Shalom in Concord since July 2024, according to The Boston Globe.

Rabbi Darby J. Leigh of Kerem Shalom told the Globe that Newman was placed on administrative leave “immediately” when the synagogue learned of the charges Friday.

“We as a community were surprised, horrified, and deeply, deeply saddened to learn of the charges filed against him,” Leigh told the newspaper.

In a statement, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said the case “underscores” the dangers young people face online.

“The defendant is alleged to have been using encrypted messaging apps to engage in sexually explicit conversations with someone he believed to be a child,” she said. “He actively sought  to hide those interactions from her parents and encouraged secrecy. As private messaging platforms become more common, parents and caregivers must work even harder to foster open communication and to educate children about safe internet and social media use.”

Newman was arraigned on the charges on Friday and held on $25,000 bail, ordered to surrender his passport, and to have no contact with minors. 

He will return to court on Aug. 14.