Forty men throughout the state of New Jersey—many of whom were from Camden County—were recently arrested as part of a state-wide crack down on sex crimes. “Operation Statewide” had police tracking images to certain areas, allowing them to pinpoint which houses were downloading the photos. From there police would knock on the doors of the offenders’ houses and arrest them on charges of child pornography. Cherry Hill criminal lawyers report that one individual was even arrested in the midst of downloading a photo.
Police then confiscated the offenders’ computers—one of which contained over 1,000 images, while another had over 76,000 files. Of the 40 men arrested, 37 face charges of distributing child porn. The men vary demographically, with ages spanning from 20 to 72 years-old, an among them are a former teacher, an accountant, school custodians, food service workers and salesmen.
New Jersey Has Stiffened the Penalties for Child Porn
Three years ago New Jersey enacted laws that called for more severe penalties for child pornography and made sentences dependent on the number of images the offender had at the time of his or her arrest. The law calls for a five-year minimum sentence with no chance of parole for individuals convicted of distributing 25 or more sexually explicit photos of children. Possessing 100 images or over creates a presumption of prison, even for first-time offenders. Of the men in the crackdown, at least 20 had 100 or more images and nine have been charged with distributing 25 images or more.
Child Porn Charges Do Not End With a Conviction
After being convicted, sex offenders in New Jersey are subject to Megan’s Law. Under this law, offenders are restricted on where they can live, work, and be at any given time. Furthermore, offenders in New Jersey have their names put into a State Police registry where the public can view their photo, the nature and date of their crime, and their current address.
Cherry Hill Criminal Lawyers at Gigliotti Law Group Defend Against All Charges
If you have been charged with a sex crime in New Jersey, know that the penalties for even first time offenders can be drastic. A skilled Cherry Hill criminal lawyer can advocate for you in court. Contact Gigliotti Law Group to learn more about our successful track record of criminal defense in South Jersey. Call us at (844) SHARK 911 (844-742-7591) or contact us online to speak with us today.