Cromwell Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography
| U.S. Attorney’s Office May 08, 2013 |
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Kimberly K. Mertz, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Colonel Danny R. Stebbins of the Connecticut State Police today announced that Samuel DiProto 61, of Cromwell, was arrested yesterday and charged by federal criminal complaint with possession of child pornography.
The criminal complaint alleges that on March 12, 2013 and April 10, 2013, a Connecticut State Police detective assigned to the Computer Crimes Unit logged onto a publicly available Internet file sharing network and downloaded images and videos of child pornography from a computer connected to the network with an Internet protocol (IP) address assigned to DiProto. During a search of DiProto’s residence yesterday, law enforcement officers seized several items, including computers, hard drives, and thumb drives.
DiProto was arrested yesterday at his residence after the search.
DiProto appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford, who ordered DiProto detained pending a hearing that is scheduled for May 13.
If convicted of the charge of possession of child pornography, DiProto faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000. The penalties in this matter are enhanced because it is alleged that the defendant possessed depictions of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12.
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 matter is being investigated by the Connecticut State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.