A man from Gloucester County has pleaded guilty to sexual assault and distribution of child pornography.
The suspect in the case was arrested as a result of Operation Watchdog, conducted by New Jersey State Police. During the investigation, police discovered that the suspect was in possession of child pornography, which he was sharing with others. The pornographic images including pictures of a 16-year-old that the suspect allegedly molested several times while she was asleep.
Authorities said that even before the repeated sexual assault began, the suspect would take pictures of the girl though her bedroom window. This allegedly occurred when the victim was just 13 years old. All together, the police uncovered around 1,000 images and 300 videos of child pornography.
Sexual assault is a second degree crime in New Jersey. As such, a conviction can result in a prison sentence of five to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison. Even a first-time offender can be sentenced to five years in State Prison. However, the prosecution in this case plans to ask the court to sentence the suspect to 14 years in prison.
Both of these crimes – sexual assault and child pornography distribution – also require that the defendant register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law. This requires that he register his address with local police and keep authorities updated about any changes in address, schooling, and employment.
For more information on this case, access the following NJ.com article: “Gloucester Township man admits molesting girl, 16, distributing child porn.”
