Swansea man accused of child porn possession ordered held by federal judge
BOSTON — The Swansea man arrested earlier this month for possessing child pornography for a second time in two decades was ordered this week to be held without bail by a federal court judge.
In March 2002, Todd Miozza pleaded guilty to a single charge of possessing child pornography. On June 29 he was again arrested and charged on the same crime after federal agents from the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations served a federal warrant at his home along with local law enforcement.
The case against Miozza, 51, and the allegations he possessed child pornography was part of the Project Safe Childhood created by the Department of Justice to investigate child exploitation.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell filed the order to hold Miozza on July 18, citing a number of reasons, including his 2002 conviction.
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Cabell also noted that Miozza had admitted to owning electronics that investigators later found at the time of his arrest dozens of videos depicting children from the age of infancy to 12 years old.
According to an agent’s affidavit filed in federal court, several of Miozza’s electronic devices including an iPad, iPhone and a laptop were seized.
The agents gave disturbing accounts of some of the child pornographic material they found on Miozza’s electronics.
“Further, the defendant during the prior federal supervision was deceptive in polygraph testing and resisted cooperation with DCF and the Probation Office, and in this case appears to have been less than candid in summarizing his marijuana use,” wrote Cabell in his order. “Taken together, the foregoing facts suggest that the defendant might be unwilling or unable to conform his behavior to comply with any conditions of release this court might impose.”
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In a separate order, Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, assigned to the latest case, extended the time required for the U.S. Attorney's office to indict or file information against Miozza, which was assented to by his defense attorney.
Saylor said the extension would give Miozza’s attorney more time to confer with him on the case and allow both sides to possibly reach an agreement before the case goes to a grand jury.
“Such an agreement, in conjunction with a pre-indictment plea, may work to the defendant’s benefit and assist the government’s ongoing investigation,"
wrote Saylor.
Jo C. Goode may be reached at jgoode@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism and subscribe to The Herald News today!
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Swansea man accused of child porn ordered held by federal judge
