CREAM RIDGE – Police arrested a man for distributing photos and videos of child sexual abuse via a file sharing network online.
Jared Faircloth, 24, of Cream Ridge, was charged on October 27 with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. He was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said that from September 2020 to July 2021, Faircloth received and distributed material containing images of child sexual abuse via the BitTorrent Network, a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing network of linked computers.
Police said they used software to access the BitTorrent Network and found files linked to Faircloth. On July 22, 2021, law enforcement searched Faircloth’s residence and found a device belonging to him that contained more than 2,800 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, as well as BitTorrent software.
The charge of knowingly receiving and distributing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a statutory maximum fine equal to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest. The charge of knowingly possessing child pornography carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, and a statutory maximum fine equal to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the arrest. She also thanked the Department of the Air Force, Office of Special Investigations, for its assistance.
Charges are merely accusations until proven in a court of law.
