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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