Home New Haven Press Releases 2010 Ledyard Man Arrested on Federal Child Pornography Charge
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Ledyard Man Arrested on Federal Child Pornography Charge

U.S. Attorney’s Office December 16, 2010
  • District of Connecticut (203) 821-3700

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kimberly K. Mertz, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MATTHEW WALLACE, 29, of Fairway Drive in Ledyard, Connecticut, and Salt Pond Way in Westerly, Rhode Island, was arrested today by members of the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force on a federal criminal complaint charging WALLACE with possession of child pornography.

The criminal complaint alleges that, on January 19, 2010, a Milford Police officer assigned to the FBI’s Computer Crime Task Force in New Haven logged into a publicly available Internet file sharing program and downloaded five images of child pornography from a shared directory maintained by WALLACE. On May 28, 2010, law enforcement agents conducted a court-authorized search of WALLACE’s Ledyard residence and seized computers and hard drives. Preliminary forensic examination of the seized items has revealed approximately 130 identified images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Following his arrest, WALLACE appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith in Hartford and was released on a $100,000 bond co-signed by a family member.

If convicted of the charge of possession of child pornography, WALLACE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Milford Police Department. The Connecticut State Police and the Ledyard Police Department have provided valuable assistance to the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ray Miller.

The Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force investigates crimes occurring over the Internet, including computer intrusion, Internet fraud, copyright violations, Internet threats and harassment, and online crimes against children. The Task Force also provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. The Task Force is housed in the main FBI office in New Haven, Connecticut. For more information about the Task Force, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.

U.S. Attorney Fein noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

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