Lee County Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images And Videos

 Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Steven Thomas Baryla (39, Lehigh Acres) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Baryla was also sentenced to a lifetime term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender.

Baryla had pleaded guilty on January 14, 2021. 

According to court documents, Baryla knowingly possessed child sexual abuse images and videos that he had obtained from the internet; he also accessed similar images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct via social media applications such as Kik and Snapchat. On June 20, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Baryla’s residence where agents from Homeland Security Investigations recovered Baryla’s cellphone. Subsequent forensic analysis of Baryla’s cellphone revealed that it contained 106 images and 10 videos depicting children being sexually abused. The internet history of the cellphone showed certain internet search terms, including “best state for sex offenders to live 2017” and “registered sex offender name change.”  

In 2011, Baryla was convicted on federal charges of transporting child pornography in New Jersey. 

“Thanks to HSI special agents, this child predator will have a decade to think about his crimes,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Cochran.         

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.