Middletown Man is Charged With Producing, Possessing Child Pornography

The United States Attorney's Office has filed a federal complaint charging Barry Zurybida, of Middletown, with producing and possessing child pornography.

United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente, Warren Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Middletown Police Chief Anthony Pesare jointly announced the complaint, which was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, Providence.

FBI agents and Middletown Police officers arrested Zurybida today on the federal charges. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond, who ordered him detained. No plea was entered.

The complaint stems from an investigation that Middletown Police began in January into allegations of child molestation. The FBI subsequently joined the investigation. In March, Middletown Police arrested Zurybida on a state charge of second degree child molestation. He was free on bail on that charge when arrested today on the federal charges.

The federal complaint charges Zurybida with producing and with possessing child pornography. The charges are felonies, and therefore subject to review by a federal grand jury.

Upon conviction, production of child pornography carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison plus a $250,000 fine. Possessing child pornography has a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,00 fine.

A complaint is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. An affidavit supporting the complaint is under court seal. Zurybida's age is not indicated in the federal court records.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Middletown Police investigated the allegations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly is prosecuting it as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative against sexual exploitation of children.