BOSTON - A Fitchburg man was arrested this morning and charged in federal court in Worcester with possession and distribution of child pornography.
Ryan Decarolis, 26, was charged with the possession and distribution of child pornography. He will appear in federal court in Worcester this afternoon.
According to the charging documents, Decarolis used a social media account to communicate with an individual who was subsequently charged with production and distribution of child pornography. With the consent of that individual, an undercover federal agent assumed control of that individual’s account and began communicating in an undercover capacity with Decarolis. In January 2019, Decarolis transferred child pornography to the undercover officer, and in April 2019, Decarolis provided the undercover officer with access to his Dropbox account, which contained hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography.
Agents executed a search warrant at Decarolis’ Fitchburg residence, where they seized a tablet belonging to Decarolis containing videos depicting child pornography.
The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Possession of child pornography carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest F. Martineau made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett from Lelling’s Worcester office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
