TOMS RIVER — An Ocean County man will spend a decade in state prison after admitting to distributing child sexual abuse material online, authorities said.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Edward Lynch, 53, of Toms River, was sentenced on February 11 by Superior Court Judge David M. Fritch to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison. The sentence includes a 10-year period of parole ineligibility.
Lynch previously pleaded guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material. In addition to his prison term, he must comply with the requirements of Megan’s Law and will be subject to Parole Supervision for Life upon release.
The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received cyber tips indicating that an individual was downloading images of child sexual abuse material. The information was forwarded to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, which traced the activity to an IP address linked to a residence in Toms River.
On August 24, 2023, detectives from the prosecutor’s High Tech Crime Unit, along with officers from the Toms River Township Police Department and its Emergency Services Unit, executed a court-authorized search warrant at the residence. Authorities seized multiple electronic devices.
A preliminary forensic review uncovered more than 1,000 files containing child sexual abuse material. Investigators determined that Lynch was responsible for downloading the material and charged him that same day with possession of child sexual abuse material. He was taken into custody without incident and later released under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines.
A subsequent, more extensive forensic examination revealed that Lynch had also distributed more than 1,000 illicit files through online applications, including Telegram, Session and Wickr Me. On April 21, 2024, he was charged with distribution and an additional count of possession. Lynch surrendered at Toms River police headquarters and was again released pending court proceedings.
Prosecutor Billhimer credited Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Shanon Chant-Berry for prosecuting the case and commended the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, its Emergency Services Unit and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for their coordinated efforts that led to the conviction and sentencing.
