A retired Middletown police officer was arrianged in federal court Monday on allegations that he possessed child pornography.
Samuel DiProto, 61, of Cromwell, faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if he is convicted.
On March 12 and again on April 10, a state police detective assigned to investigate computer crimes discovered child pornography through a public file-sharing service on a computer with an IP address registered to DiProto, according to a warrant filed in U.S. District Court.
Law enforcement officers seized computers, hard drives and thumb drives from DiProto’s residence, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Officials found a desktop computer and hard drive in an office in his residence, the warrant states.
They also found a laptop computer in a file cabinet in the basement, next to a work bench that police believe was used “for loading ammunition into guns. … DiProto is a retired police officer who owns several guns,” the warrant states.
On the laptop, police found a BitTorrent client program, as well as 20 to 40 videos and images showing child pornography, the warrant states.
DiProto had no comment leaving court on Monday. He was released on $250,000 bond but is subject to electronic monitoring and has restricted access to minors and the Internet.
DiProto was a Middletown police officer for more than 20 years, from 1987 through August 2009, a spokesperson said.