SYRAUCSE, NEW YORK Theron Feidt, age 54, of Liverpool, New York, appeared in federal court today on a charge of possessing child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The complaint filed against Feidt alleges that on or about August 10, 2026, Feidt knowingly possessed on his iPad material depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as four years old.
The charge carries a statutory maximum prison term of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Feidt if convicted will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Feidt was arraigned today in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric and was detained pending further proceedings.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, “The disturbing nature of this complaint is intensified by the defendant’s access to and proximity to, children through his martial arts business. I am deeply grateful to our partners at the FBI and the New York State Police, who work tirelessly to identify, investigate, and arrest those who target and exploit children. My office will continue to use every tool and every resource available to ensure that individuals who prey on children are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated, “The allegations against Mr. Feidt are incredibly concerning, especially given his profession. The response from FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force was immediate and resulted in serious charges that, if convicted, will send him to federal prison for his alleged behavior. We will continue to dedicate every resource needed for this investigation and ask anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
Individuals with additional information regarding Feidt who owns and operates Impact Martial Arts & Fitness – Team Feidt are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle and Geoffrey Brown are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of New York — U.S. Department of Justice press release.