Brian Lee KrzeczowskiEven after he knew he was under investigation, authorities said a Dayton, Tenn., man continued to view child pornography at his home, where he is said to have amassed thousands of illegal images.
Brian Lee Krzeczowski, 41, is charged in a federal indictment with possession, producing, distributing and receiving child pornography. He faces a bond hearing today in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga.
"One of the agents said the materials seizure 'would be in the top 10 or 12' in this region, so we're assuming this was maybe fifth- or sixth-largest," Rhea County Sheriff's Office investigator Rocky Potter said. The superlative probably applies to cases investigated in recent years.
Krzeczowski has lived with his wife at his parents' home in Dayton since at least the mid-1980s and has never been known to have a job or any children of his own, Potter said, and he has no prior criminal record.
He showed up on law enforcement's radar a couple of years ago after he allegedly made threats on some online role-playing Internet gaming sites. Information surfaced in December 2013 from the parents of a Gallatin, Tenn., teenager whom Krzeczowski attempted to solicit for nude photos, Potter said.
Gallatin Police Department investigator Chad Harrison said the victim, now an adult, had communicated online with Krzeczowski several years ago and had exchanged photos with him.
She sent photos of herself; he sent back photos of someone else, Harrison said. After she became an adult, some of the photos began to appear online again.
He said Nashville Metro Police officials, the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and Rhea County investigators all worked to identify Krzeczowski's online identity. Then Krzeczowski gave a phone number during one of his last online conversations, Harrison said.
"He gave the phone number that we were able to tie to him," Harrison said.
Investigators searched Krzeczowski's home and seized computers, laptops, hard drives and 550 to 600 DVDs containing between 3,500 and 5,000 images. The DVDs were hidden under a table in a closet, according to officials.
"He had told me that some of it contained adult pornography and about half of it contained child pornography," Potter said. Investigators found some images that appeared to have come from other states and countries.
"Some of them were videos of children from 6 to 8 years old but most of them were preteens and teens and most were still shots. There were very few videos," Potter said.
All the evidence seized and Krzeczowski's statement were turned over to the FBI. Because of the amount of evidence to review, the federal indictment was issued only Friday, Potter said.
Krzeczowski had no images of local children or of nearby Rhea Central Elementary School and had apparently not produced any of his own videos or images, Potter said.
Even after the search and seizures at his home, Krzeczowski didn't stop his illegal online activities, Potter said.
"Since we had confiscated everything we received a couple of complaints that he's been accessing some sites and making contacts four to six weeks ago," Potter said. "I would think that would weigh heavily on his bond."
Harrison said the victim and her family in Gallatin will be relieved to know Krzeczowski has been arrested.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.