Former Teacher Among 40 Arrested In NJ Crackdown On Child Porn
By Mark Abrams
PITMAN, NJ (CBS) -- A former teacher, an accountant, food service workers and construction workers were among 40 people New Jersey State Police have charged in connection with a statewide crackdown on child porn.
The six-month investigation was dubbed "Operation Statewide" and it snared 40 people for possession and many for distribution of child pornography.
Investigators say suspects were arrested in every county in the state and one - 47-year-old John Defay Jr. of Pitman in Gloucester County - had more than 76,000 computer files and a back-up system file containing images and videos of children engaged in sexual activity.
Investigators say they began serving search warrants and making arrests as early as February. The last of the suspects snared in the operation was charged this past Monday.
Ages of the suspects ranged from 20 to 72 years old and included many who were unemployed and two undocumented immigrants.
Investigators say they used digital technology to track images among senders and receivers and traced internet addresses to street addresses, with authorities knocking on the door of one suspect as he was in the process of downloading child porn.
