An Atlantic County man has been sentenced to five years in state prison for using a file-sharing network to distribute child pornography online.

State Attorney General General Gurbir S. Grewal says Craig C. Covell of Buena Vista was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Donna M. Taylor in Atlantic County. His sentence included 2 1/2 years of parole ineligibility. Grewal say Covell will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and will be subject to parole supervision for life:

During the investigation, detectives of the State Police Digital Technology Investigations Unit (DTIU) were monitoring an online file-sharing network that is popular with offenders who download and trade child pornography when they identified a computer address that was sharing child pornography. Detectives successfully downloaded numerous videos of child pornography being shared from that IP address, which was traced to the house where Covell was living in Buena Vista. On Oct. 19, 2018, detectives of the DTIU executed a search warrant at the house with assistance from the New Jersey State Parole Board and State Police TEAMS South Unit, K-9 South Unit, and Buena Criminal Investigations Office. Detectives seized multiple computers and hard drives used by Covell from the basement of the house. Forensic examinations conducted at the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in Hamilton, Mercer County, revealed over 100 videos and images of child pornography on those computer devices.

“By sharing child pornography online, this defendant participated in a criminal network that promotes and perpetuates the brutal sexual exploitation of children,” said Attorney General Grewal. “Our multi-agency efforts to patrol the internet and put these offenders in prison are all about protecting children and ensuring justice for those who have been victimized.”

 

More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM