NEW YORK, July 14 (Reuters) - A partner in the international capital markets group at the law firm of Allen & Overy was arrested Thursday and charged with distributing child pornography.

Edward De Sear, 64, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Arleo in federal court in Newark, and was released on a $250,000 bond. He will be electronically monitored by the court.

De Sear did not enter a plea because he was charged by complaint, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark said. He will enter a plea when he is indicted.

According to the complaint, De Sear downloaded and distributed videos and images of child pornography using peer-to-peer networks on the Internet. Among the material downloaded by federal investigators from De Sear's shared drive were images of prepubescent children being restrained and sexually abused, officials said.

A search warrant was executed Thursday morning at De Sear's home in Saddle River, New Jersey. The defendant turned over a laptop computer to law enforcement officials during the search, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to a biography on the firm's site, De Sear is a securitization partner in the international capital markets group at Allen & Overy, where he concentrates primarily on asset-backed securities.

The count of distributing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

De Sear's attorneys did not immediately return a request for comment. A representative for Allen & Overy declined to comment on the charges.

The case is U.S. v. De Sear, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, no. 11-8143.

For the U.S.: Assistant U.S. attorneys Shirley Emehelu.

For De Sear: John Vazquez and Michael Critchley of Critchley Kinum and Vazquez.

(Reporting by Jessica Dye; Additional reporting by Basil Katz)