CROMWELL, CT (WFSB) -
A community is in shock
after a Middletown police officer was arrested Tuesday and charged with
possession of child pornography.
Officials said they
arrested Samuel DiProto, 61, of Cromwell, after a search of his home.
On March 12 and April 10, a
Connecticut State Police detective assigned to the Computer Crimes Unit logged
onto a publicly available internet file sharing network and was able to
download images and videos of child pornography from a computer connected to
the network with an IP address assigned to DiProto.
Officials searched
DiProto's home and said they seized computers, hard drives and thumb drives
before arresting him.
Diproto retired from the
Middletown Police Department back in 2009 after serving 22 years.
Eyewitness News has learned
that Diproto lives near a daycare center, which has some parents concerned.
"It does worry me a
lot that we do play out here next to this road, so it's scary," said
Trisha Merriman.
Eyewitness News knocked on
the door at DiProto's, but no one answered.
DiProto appeared in federal
court Wednesday to answer to the charges and has been held in jail pending a
court appearance scheduled for May 13.
In convicted, DiProto could
spend up to 20 years in jail and faces a fine up to $250,000.
Officials said that the
matter was "enhanced" because it is alleged that DiProto possessed
photos and videos of prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years old.