Crime & Safety
Moorestown Teen Among 27 Arrested in Child Porn Sweep
Three other men from the area were arrested during the sweep—dubbed "Operation Watchdog"—last week.
Editor's Note: One or more names in this report have been redacted in light of additional documentation provided regarding this case.
A 17-year-old Moorestown boy was among 27 individuals charged in a state police child pornography investigation dubbed "Operation Watchdog," authorities said Tuesday.
The 26 men and one woman used file-sharing programs on the Internet to download or distribute child porn, the state police said. Among the images and videos were those with a "digital fingerprint" that were tracked as they moved across file-sharing networks, authorities said.
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In addition to the Moorestown juvenile, police also arrested three other men from the area on child porn charges:
- Cesar Salgado-Maya, of Audubon
- Lucas F. Walsh, of Maple Shade
- William J. Brooks, of Pennsauken
“Through aggressive, technology-driven investigations such as Operation Watchdog, we must banish the misguided notion that online viewing and sharing of child pornography is a victimless crime,” Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said. “The vulnerable children who are tortured and degraded to create these vile materials are re-victimized every time another person views the images."
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Salgado-Maya, 23, was the first person arrested after authorities discovered his home was connected to a day care, according to state police.
Police found Brooks, 66, downloading child porn as authorities stormed in, according to a release. With a previous conviction in another state on his record, Brooks was lodged in Camden County Jail on $300,000 cash bail.
“Those who thought they could hide their child porn crimes in the secrecy of their homes have been exposed by the relentless work of law enforcement working together," said Colonel Rick Fuentes, state police superintendent.
More than 100 law enforcement personnel from 21 agencies took part in the three-month investigation, executing search warrants in 26 towns last week.
Three people, whose names were not released, are still being sought, police said.
“Let the word go out that those who share child pornography over the Internet are also sharing the evidence of their crimes with computer experts from law enforcement, who are patrolling the Internet to stop this tragic victimization of children,” said Stephen J. Taylor, director of the state Division of Criminal Justice.
The photos and images have been turned over to the FBI, police said.
The following individual was arrested on April 11, 2012 and charged with:
Sexual assault, manufacturing child pornography, and distribution and possession of child pornography:
Name
Age
Town
Bernard Cahill
43
Folsom
The following individuals were charged with distribution and possession of child pornography
Arrested on 03/01/12:
Name
Age
Town
Cesar Salgado-Maya
23
Audubon
Arrested on 04/09/12:
Name
Age
Town
Charles E Jones
50
Morristown
Ryan Taylor
27
Lindenwold
Jeremy Gardner
18
Livingston
Joshua Kane
31
Wayne
Max Mejia
46
Atlantic City
Juvenile Male
17
Moorestown
Arrested on 04/10/12:
Name
Age
Town
William J. Brooks
66
Pennsauken
Lucas Francis Walsh
24
Maple Shade
David Ingoglia
36
Byram
Scott Hersh
43
Mount Arlington
Arrested on 04/11/12:
Name
Age
Town
(name removed)
John Thomas Kondes
56
Bayonne
Andrew Rodriguez
27
Park Ridge
Arrested on 04/12/12:
Name
Age
Town
Collin Tillett
29
Hamilton (Atlantic Co.)
Armondo Flores
46
Bridgeton City
Robert Knapp
47
Old Bridge
Jose A. Velasquez
20
Clifton
Jasmyn E. Oliver
20
Union Twp.
Robert J. Rowe 2nd
33
Union Twp.
Arrested on 04/13/12:
Name
Age
Town
Joseph Marella
42
Passaic
Christopher Guzman
32
Camden
Asaf Guttman
39
Bloomfield
Jared Pacifici
27
Manalapan
Joshua Ferreri
25
West Berlin
John Mulligan
41
Ocean City
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