Homeland Security Investigation leads to federal child pornography charges, released on bail

PROVIDENCE – An East Greenwich man was arrested on Wednesday following a court-authorized search of his home by federal Homeland Security Investigations agents and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that resulted in the seizure of electronic devices that a preliminary examination showed allegedly contained images and videos of child pornography.

An investigation determined that an electronic device using an IP address assigned to the residence where John Daniel Macintyre, 32, resides, had allegedly accessed and downloaded child pornography from websites accessible via the dark web. Information that led investigators to investigate Macintyre was first provided by a foreign law enforcement agency to the FBI.

According to court documents, it is alleged that the dark web website accessed by Macintyre facilitates the sharing of child abuse materials such as images, links, and videos, with an explicit focus on indecent material depicting boys. Accessing the website on the dark web required numerous affirmative steps by the user and, to do so, Macintyre downloaded a special browser and software designed specifically to facilitate anonymous communication over the Internet.

During the court-authorized search of the residence where Macintyre resided, law enforcement seized a laptop computer, 11 digital storage hard drives, and a cellular telephone allegedly belonging to Macintyre. Several videos of child pornography were allegedly discovered during a brief forensic review of one of the devices conducted by a Rhode Island State Police Computer Forensics Analyst.

John Daniel Macintyre appeared on Wednesday before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni.

Macintyre was released on $10,000 unsecured bond.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.