A Brewer man who claims a pedophile is among his multiple personalities was arrested Monday and charged in federal court in Bangor with possession of child pornography.

Joseph L. Messier, 54, in March denied to investigators with Homeland Security Investigations that he had downloaded the three videos of child pornography allegedly found on his computer, according to the affidavit filed in U.S. District Court.





Messier told police that one of his alternate personalities is a pedophile he calls “IT,” the document said.

“Messier told us that ‘IT’ had molested his daughter but that he [Joe Messier] had to go to prison for the crime. Messier said that if he ever saw child pornography downloaded by ‘IT,’ he would delete it.”

Messier was convicted in Florida in 2001 of a sex crime involving a child under the age of 12. As a result of that conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender for life.

At one point during the police interview, Messier began to talk with a southern accent and identified himself to investigators as “IT.” He admitted to downloading child pornography.

“The voice Messier was using for “IT” said that ‘Joe’ had nothing to do with downloading child pornography,” the complaint said.

The downloaded videos were found in January by an agent working undercover and monitoring a site on which child pornography is known to be shared, the complaint said. One of the videos allegedly showed an infant being sexually abused by an adult.

Messier made his first court appearance Monday afternoon. He was not asked to enter a plea because he has not yet been indicted.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison ordered that Messier be detained until May 29, when a bail hearing will be held to determine if there are conditions under which he can be released.

Defense attorney Don Brown declined to comment on the case following the brief first appearance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Lowell also declined to comment. It is the practice of the U.S. attorney’s office not to comment on pending cases.

If convicted, Messier faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

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