NJ AG: Two Suspended NJ State Troopers Indicted for Misconduct, Child Porn
Officials say two suspended New Jersey State Troopers, both from South Jersey, were indicted earlier this week on charges that they allegedly exchanged sexually explicit text messages that contained child sexual abuse material.
49-year-old Jeffrey Reitz of Williamstown was indicted on four counts of third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material, two counts of second-degree official misconduct, two counts of second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse material, and fourth-degree attempted tampering with evidence.
36-year-old Andrea V. Knox of Mt. Holly was indicted on third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material, second-degree official misconduct, and fourth-degree attempted tampering with evidence.
Acting State Attorney General Andrew Bruck says the charges relate to text messages that Knox allegedly exchanged with Reitz. Bruck continues,
Reitz was previously indicted on Dec. 19, 2019 on two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material (3rd degree) in connection with email exchanges he had with a different woman. . . . During those exchanges, the woman proposed that Reitz sexually assault a young girl and sent him a sexually explicit photo of the girl. Additional images of child sexual abuse material were found in an iCloud account that belonged to Reitz which allegedly sent to and received from an unidentified individual.
Further investigation of that iCloud account revealed that Reitz allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations about an underage girl with his fellow trooper Knox. On Aug. 27, 2018, Knox allegedly encouraged Reitz by asking for details about the sex acts Reitz would like to perform on the girl. Reitz later told Knox he had touched the girl. The following day, the pair had another sexually explicit text exchange, during which Reitz sent Knox photos of two nude female children with their genitals visible.
Bruck says Knox failed to report Reitz's actions and, therefore, failed to uphold the laws of the state as a police officer. He also says the charge of attempted tampering with evidence is because Knox and Reitz allegedly attempted to alter or destroy Reitz’s cellphone to impede the investigation.
The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.