OCEAN COUNTY — A 20-year-old Lacey Township man faces multiple felony charges following an investigation into alleged online sexual exploitation of a minor, authorities said.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Seth Bowles was charged on January 15 with distributing obscene materials to a minor, manufacturing and possessing child sexual abuse material, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a minor.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, investigators determined that between September 2025 and December 2025, Bowles allegedly communicated with a 15-year-old girl online.
Authorities said he sent explicit images of himself and encouraged the minor to create and transmit sexually explicit photos and videos.
The investigation was conducted by the prosecutor’s office High Tech Crime Squad in coordination with the Lacey Township Police Department. On January 15, detectives executed a court-authorized search warrant at Bowles’ residence, where multiple electronic devices were seized.
Bowles was taken into custody at police headquarters and later transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains held pending a detention hearing.
Billhimer praised the coordinated efforts of investigators and police, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from online exploitation.
