Crime & Safety
Manalapan Man Among 27 Charged In State Police Child Porn Probe
Arrests made in 26 towns across the state.
Editor's Note: One or more names in this report have been redacted in light of additional documentation provided regarding this case.
Men from eight North Jersey towns were among 27 people charged in a state police child porn investigation dubbed "Operation Watchdog," authorities said Tuesday. Among those arrested was Jared Pacifici, a 27-year-old resident of Manalapan Township.
The 26 men and one woman used file sharing programs on the internet to download or distribute child porn, the state police said. Among the images and videos were those with a "digital fingerprint" that were tracked as they moved across file sharing networks, authorities said.
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“Through aggressive, technology-driven investigations such as Operation Watchdog, we must banish the misguided notion that online viewing and sharing of child pornography is a victimless crime,” Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said. “The vulnerable children who are tortured and degraded to create these vile materials are re-victimized every time another person views the images."
One of the arrested men, Cesar Salgado-Maya, 23, of Audubon, lived in a residence connected to a day care, police said. Another, Bernard Cahill, 53, of Folsom, took pictures of himself sexually assaulting a juvenile, images that were discovered on his computer, police said.
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Cahill was charged with sexual assault and manufacturing child pornography.
“Those who thought they could hide their child porn crimes in the secrecy of their homes have been exposed by the relentless work of law enforcement working together," said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the state police.
More than 100 law enforcement personnel from 21 agencies took part in the three-month investigation, executing search warrants in 26 towns last week.
During one of the raids, police found a 66-year-old Pennsauken man, William Brooks, downloading child porn as authorities stormed in, police said.
Three people, whose names were not released, are still being sought, police said.
“Let the word go out that those who share child pornography over the Internet are also sharing the evidence of their crimes with computer experts from law enforcement, who are patrolling the Internet to stop this tragic victimization of children,” said Stephen J. Taylor, director of the state Division of Criminal Justice.
The photos and images have been turned over to the FBI, police said.
The following individual was arrested on April 11, 2012 and charged with sexual assault, manufacturing child pornography, and distribution and possession of child pornography:
Name
Age
Town
Bernard Cahill
43
Folsom
The following individuals were charged with distribution and possession of child pornography
Arrested on March 1:
Name
Age
Town
Cesar Salgado-Maya
23
Audubon
Arrested on April 9:
Name
Age
Town
Charles E Jones
50
Morristown
Ryan Taylor
27
Lindenwold
Jeremy Gardner
18
Livingston
Joshua Kane
31
Wayne
Max Mejia
46
Atlantic City
Juvenile Male
17
Moorestown
Arrested on April 10:
Name
Age
Town
William J. Brooks
66
Pennsauken
Lucas Francis Walsh
24
Maple Shade
David Ingoglia
36
Byram
Scott Hersh
43
Mount Arlington
(name removed)
John Thomas Kondes
56
Bayonne
Andrew Rodriguez
27
Park Ridge
Arrested on April 12:
Name
Age
Town
Collin Tillett
29
Hamilton (Atlantic Co.)
Armondo Flores
46
Bridgeton City
Robert Knapp
47
Old Bridge
Jose A. Velasquez
20
Clifton
Jasmyn E. Oliver
20
Union Twp.
Robert J. Rowe 2nd
33
Union Twp.
Arrested on April 13:
Name
Age
Town
Joseph Marella
42
Passaic
Christopher Guzman
32
Camden
Asaf Guttman
39
Bloomfield
Jared Pacifici
27
Manalapan
Joshua Ferreri
25
West Berlin
John Mulligan
41
Ocean City
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