LIVERMORE FALLS — A local man is facing a felony charge of possession of child pornography.

The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit arrested James Barker, 53, on Thursday, Crimes Unit Detective Frank Stepnick said Monday.

Livermore Falls Lt. Thomas Gould drove Barker to the police station and arranged bail for him.

A conviction on the charge carries up to five years in jail.

Stepnick said Monday that he and members of his team were investigating a reported sharing or downloading of child pornography on a peer-to-peer network at another residence in the Main Street area in Livermore Falls. During an interview with others, Barker’s name came up and police went to speak to him, Stepnick said.

Barker voluntarily let police view his laptop computer and let police take it to have it analyzed, Stepnick said. One of the team members found child pornography on hard drive and showed it to Barker, he said.

A complete forensic analysis of the computer will be done, he said.

Barker was released on $500 unsecured bail from the station.

His bail conditions are no contact with anyone under age 18 and no use of computers or electronic devices, Stepnick said.

Barker is scheduled to appear in June at Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn.

dperry@sunjournal.com