16 arrested in child pornography sweep
HAMILTON>> Two Mercer County men are among sixteen arrested in a child pornography investigation with defendants ranging in age 17 to 72.
The arrests come as part of a continuing effort to identify and arrest those who download and share the exploitative material via file-sharing networks. Among the other arrestees are a school bus driver and a teacher. “The defendants from this operation come from all walks of life, but they all share a depraved desire to see children sexually exploited in the most horrific cases,” said Acting Attorney Robert Lougy on Wednesday inside of the New Jersey State Police Technology Center in Hamilton.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office (NJAG) said that Robert Kunert, 22, of Hamilton and Christian Martinez34, of East Windsor. Kunert, according to the Attorney General’s Office allegedly had 298 files of childpornography in a shared folder in his computer. Hewas charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography and distribution of 25 or more files of child pornography. Hewas arrested on March 31, and his listed job was supermarket employee. Martinez-Gonzalez, a factory worker, was arrested on March 7, though the NJAG did not detail his charges.
The NJAG’s office said that investigation, dubbed “Operation Safeguard” was a joint operation by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and ICE Homeland Security Investigations. The office said that “Operation Safeguard” targeted offenders who used an online file-sharing network to download and distribute child pornography. Among the illicit videos were those of young children being raped. The arrests occurred in the last two-months.
Bus driver Eugene Triston, 55, was in allegedly in possession of 27 files of child pornography that was found in a shared folder of his personal computer. Additionally it is alleged that he viewed the child pornography on breaks between bus runs. His duties included driving elementary school children, the NJAG’s office said. Thomas Guzzi Jr., 36, who is from Pitman and is a fifth grade teacher at John H. Winslow Elementary School in Vineland had allegedly possessed more than 100 files on his personal computer. Further the NJAG’s office said that Guzzi participated in drama productions involving children as the drama club advisor at the school and as stage manager at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman. In addition he was also charged with third-degree invasion of privacy for allegedly hiding a tablet computer in a bathroom stall at the Broadway Theatre to record video of others using the toilet. According to the NJAG, a video found on Guzzi’s computer revealed him installing the device.
Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy said the victims depicted were as young as nine-months-old. Additionally he said that it appears from the investigation that none of the children victimized were New Jersey residents.
Police agencies monitored several online file sharing networks that are popular with those who download and trade child pornography. The NJAG’s office said that through the use of advanced technology, investigators searched for “telltale digital fingerprints” of known child pornography. Additionally, investigators looked into search terms used by those who download and share child
pornography. This allowed investigators to identify New Jersey residents who were downloading child pornography andmaking it available to others in “shared folders” on their computers. The evidence was reviewed at the recently to the Division of Criminal Justice’sComputerAnalysisandTechnologyUnit at the New Jersey State Police Technology Center in Hamilton.
The NJAG’s office said the defendants are charged under New Jersey’s strict 2013 child pornography law, which enhanced the penalties for those who possess, distribute or manufacture child pornography. The office said that if convicted of distributing 25 or more computer files of child pornography — including having that number of files in a shared available for other users to download — the defendants will face a mandatory minimum state prison sentence of five years without possibility of parole. Any defendant found to have possessed 100 or more files of child pornography on his computer will face a presumptive sentence of three to five years in state prison. The law signed by Gov. Chris Christie changed the definition of “child” to any person under 18 years of age and increased the punishment for virtually all offenses, which brings the state law closer to federal law, It also upgraded possession of child pornography from a fourth to a thirddegree crime. The NJAG’s office said that under the law, distribution of child pornography remains a second-degree crime and carries a sentence of five to 10 years in prison. The new law imposes a mandatory minimum period of parole ineligibility of five years for distribution of 25 or more files. In cases of possession or distribution of child pornography, the prosecutor can ask the court to impose a sentence of parole supervision for life under Megan’s Foreground: Division of Criminal Justice Detectives Richard DaSilva and background: Abraham Aquino show off the DCJ’s Computer Crimes Lab on Wednesday. Law.
Arrested in “Operation Safeguard”: 1: Thomas Guzzi Jr., 36, of Pitman. Teacher at John H. Win slow Elementary School in Vineland. Arrested Feb. 19. Bail, $50,000. Charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography. 2: Eugene Triston, 55, of Stanhope. Bus driver in Sparta School District. Arrested Feb. 10. Bail, $50,000. Charged with distribution of 25o r more files of child pornography. 3: Male Juvenile, 17, of Kearny. Arrested March 15. Released with ankle monitor. Charged with selling child pornography, possession of 100 or more files of child pornography, and distribution of 25 or more files of child pornography. 4: Shaun Dooley, 46, of Summit. Senior IT officer for insurance company. Arrested March 9. Bail, $75,000. Charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography. 5: Andres Tejada-Diaz, 42, of Kearny. Arrested March 3. Bail, $100,000. Charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography and distribution of 25 or more files. 6: John Wilms, 46, of Mount Holly. Driver for parcel delivery service. Arrested Feb. 25. Bail, $100,000. Charged with distributing 25 or more files of child pornography for files allegedly found in a shared folder on his computer, including many videos involving infants. 7: Robert Kunert, 22, of Hamilton, Mercer County. Supermarket employee. Arrested March 31. Bail, $52,000. He allegedly possessed approximately 298 files of child pornography in a shared folder on his computer. Charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography and distribution of 25 or more files of child pornography. 8: Matthew Dieterman, 32, of Piscataway. Publicemployee who works for Somerset County in county garage. Arrested March 4. Bail, $50,000. Charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography and distribution of 25 or more files of child pornography. 9: Oziel Hernandez Sandoval, 27, of Piscataway. Employment unknown. Arrested March 29. Bail, $75,000. A forensic preview revealed approximately 225files of child pornography in a shared folder on his computer. Charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography and distribution of 25 or more files of child pornography. 10: Bernard Rapp, 72, of Southampton. Retired. Arrested Feb. 24. Bail, $75,000. Charged with possession of 100 or more files of child pornography. 11: Germin Simon, 34, of South Plainfield. Self-employed computer repair technician under name “The Computer Man.” Arrested March 17. Bail, $100,000. 12: William Morgan, 59, of Manalapan. Unemployed. Arrested March 24. Bail, $150,000. 13: Christian -Martinez-Gonzalez, 34, of East Windsor. Factory worker. Arrested March 7. Bail, $50,000. 14: Brandon Weiss, 42, of Burlington Township. Line worker for label printing company. Arrested Feb. 23. Bail, $100,000. 15: Armando Gonzalez-Longorio, 70, of Elizabeth. Works for employment agency. Arrested Feb. 18. Bail, $100,000. 16: Dimas Zuniga, 44, of Roselle. Employment unknown. Arrested March 22. Bail, $50,000