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Michael Kimmerle, 35, of New Milford, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court. Kimmerle faces one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
From August 2021 to August 2022, Kimmerle used a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program to distribute video files containing child sexual abuse, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger's office.
According to court documents, law enforcement accessed the program through undercover online sessions and traced multiple video files back to Kimmerle’s IP address. A search of his residence on Sept. 14, 2022, led to the discovery of over 600 thumbnail images of child pornography on his laptop, including files he previously shared.
Investigators uncovered images involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, court documents show.
If convicted, Kimmerle faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, with each charge carrying a potential 20-year sentence and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2024.
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