DERBY – A previously convicted sex offender faces up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to violating the conditions of his release by accessing child pornography.
Michael Szwarc, 36, of Derby, is scheduled to be sentenced at 10 a.m. Dec. 11 in Hartford.
According to court documents, Szwarc was first convicted in 2012 after state police connected him to an IP address that had uploaded child pornography. Court documents do not say where he lived at the time. The subsequent investigation revealed Szwarc had 1,424 images and 52 videos of child pornography.
He pleaded guilty to second-degree possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended after three, plus 10 years of probation.
Then, in September 2018, he visited his probation officer in Hartford and, upon questioning, revealed he was in possession of two laptops and an unauthorized cell phone. He then admitted to downloading child pornography. He pleaded guilty in 2019 and was sentenced to 39 months in prison and 42 months of supervised release.
Court documents reveal the extent Szwarc went to hide his online activity. It included encryption services and the use of computer networks and browsers designed to hide Internet activity.
His supervised release started in May 2022.
On Jan. 3, a federal probation officer stopped by Szwarc’s apartment in downtown Derby to check up on him. The probation officer spotted a laptop plugged into Szwarc’s television, and an unauthorized smartphone on the television stand.
Szwarc allegedly told the probation officer he had used the laptop to access the dark web so he could order hallucinogens from South America.
The probation officer also spotted a “childlike” doll on his bed.
“Swarc admitted that he had engaged with sex acts with the doll the night prior,” according to an affidavit from the FBI.
The doll, laptop and the phone were seized. Child pornography was allegedly found on the laptop, and Szwarc was arrested for violating the terms of his release. He was additionally charged with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Court documents show Szwarc’s attorney questioned whether the manner by which the probation officer gained access to Szwarc’s apartment was constitutional.
However, a plea agreement was filed with the court that shows Szwarc agreed to plead guilty to accessing with intent to view child pornography. He also admitted to violating the terms of his release.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
