A Barre resident has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) as well as a count of animal cruelty, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office announced Friday September 19.

Bryant Keene, 36, was arraigned in Washington County Superior Court, Criminal Division, on charges that include promoting a recording of child lewdness or sexual conduct, multiple counts of CSAM possession, and one felony animal cruelty charge. He entered a plea of not guilty.

The charges stem from an investigation led by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children (VT-ICAC) Task Force. Authorities began looking into Keene after receiving a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). According to investigators, the tip suggested that CSAM was being uploaded and shared on Kik, a messaging application. Keene was later identified as the suspect in possession of the material.

At arraignment, Judge Michael Harris ordered Keene to comply with strict release conditions, including a ban on internet use and contact with minors.

The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that Keene, like all defendants, is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

VT-ICAC, a statewide task force, investigates online child exploitation, provides forensic support, and works with law enforcement on prevention and training. Officials urged the public to report suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s 24-hour hotline at 1-800-843-5678 or through report.cybertip.org.

The case remains under investigation.