Woodstock Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Pornography Offenses

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RYAN HARDING, 29, of Woodstock, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 16, 2013 and October 30, 2013, HARDING received images and videos of child pornography that he downloaded from individuals via the Internet using a peer-to-peer file sharing program.  During a search of the residence on October 30, 2013, law enforcement officers seized computers and a thumb drive.  Forensic analysis of HARDING’s computers and thumb drive revealed more than 600 image files and videos of child pornography.  He also possessed images of a partially naked 13-year old boy that he knew.

Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for March 13, 2015, at which time HARDING faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

Since his arrest on November 26, 2013, HARDING has been released on a bond and placed on home confinement with GPS monitoring.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Connecticut State Police Computer Crimes Unit.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. 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.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov