TOMS RIVER — A Brick Township man has admitted to distributing child sexual abuse material and faces a potential prison sentence under a plea agreement announced by Ocean County prosecutors.
Christian Kohl, 47, pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan to one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. When he is sentenced May 29, prosecutors will seek a five-year term in New Jersey State Prison, including five years of parole ineligibility.
Authorities also plan to request that Kohl be placed on parole supervision for life and be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.
The case began with a referral from the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which received tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding online activity involving child sexual abuse material.
Investigators with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit traced the activity to an IP address tied to a Brick Township residence. Between May and August 2024, a detective conducted an undercover operation on the Kik messaging platform, posing as a 14-year-old girl.
During those exchanges, authorities said Kohl — identifying himself as an adult male — sent explicit photos and videos of himself despite being told multiple times that the recipient was underage.
Law enforcement officers executed a court-authorized search warrant at Kohl’s home on Aug. 15, 2024. A forensic review of his cellphone uncovered multiple files containing child sexual abuse material, officials said. Investigators later determined Kohl had shared more than 25 such files with other users through the messaging app.
Kohl was arrested at his residence without incident, processed at the Ocean County Jail and later released under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines.
Prosecutors credited multiple agencies for their roles in the investigation, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Brick Township police and the state ICAC Task Force.
