Prosecutor: 8 in NJ Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Material Charges

Authorities say two more people from New Jersey, which brings the total to eight, have been indicted on charges involving the distribution and/or possession of child sexual abuse materials.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey says earlier this week,

38-year-old Jonathan W. Cruz of Aberdeen was indicted on first-degree endangering the welfare of a child via distribution of child sexual abuse materials using a file-sharing program available to others and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child via possession of child sexual abuse materials charges.
58-year-old Neil Ridgway of Howell was indicted on charges of third-degree endangering via possession of child sexual abuse materials.

Earlier this year, six other men were indicted on similar charges.

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Linskey's office said in a statement,

Investigations into the actions of these defendants were conducted by members of the Prosecutor’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, working in tandem with representatives of local police departments in the jurisdictions in which the crimes took place.

Convictions on first-degree charges are commonly punishable by 10 to 20 years behind bars.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.