Toms River Man Sentenced to 5 Years for CSAM Distribution

Toms River, N.J. — An Ocean County man is headed to state prison after investigators traced the online distribution of child sexual abuse material to a Toms River home and found more of it on a USB drive on his desk.

Last week, 40-year-old Justin Thomas was sentenced to five years behind bars with a mandatory five-year period of parole ineligibility. He must also register under Megan's Law and will be subject to parole supervision for life.

Thomas pleaded guilty to a charge of distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on April 13th.

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Tracked by a Cyber Tip

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said the case began with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, reporting that someone was uploading CSAM online.

Authorities traced the activity to an IP address associated with a Toms River residence, ultimately identifying Thomas as the person behind the uploads.

On July 31st, 2025, officials executed a search warrant at his home, and a USB drive recovered from his desk contained child sexual abuse material. Further investigation revealed Thomas had also been distributing the material through his Snapchat account.

Thomas was taken into custody and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he was later released under New Jersey Bail Reform.

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com