Trenton
- Attorney General Peter C. Harvey announced
that the Division
of Criminal Justice has obtained an
indictment which charges a Monmouth County
man with attempting to engage a 14 year-old
juvenile in a sexual encounter and with
transmitting lewd acts via the Internet.
The 14 year-old juvenile was a State Investigator
assigned to the Division of Criminal Justice
State - Computer Analysis & Technology
Unit (CATU).
According to Vaughn L. McKoy, Director,
Division of Criminal Justice, Peter DiGiovanni,
45, Hoover Road, Neptune, Monmouth County,
was charged via a six-count State Grand
Jury indictment with attempted endangering
the welfare of a child (2nd degree), attempted
criminal sexual contact (4th degree),
and endangering the welfare of a child
(4th degree). Upon any conviction, DiGiovanni
faces more than 25 years in state prison
and fines exceeding $325,000. DiGiovanni
was arrested by State Investigators assigned
to the Division of Criminal Justice on
May 11, 2004.
The indictment alleges that from April
5 through May 4, 2004, an undercover state
investigator communicating on-line as
a 14 year-old male entered an Internet
chat room devoted to sexually explicit
conversations. Within a short period of
time, the undercover state investigator
was contacted by an individual, subsequently
identified as DiGiovanni, who engaged
the purported juvenile in sexually explicit
conversations. In addition to engaging
the purported juvenile (undercover state
investigator) in sexually explicit conversations
on various dates throughout April, it
is alleged that the defendant performed
acts of masturbation, transmitting the
images via a “live” web camera
to the undercover state investigator.
The Division of Criminal Justice investigation
determined that DiGiovanni used several
on-line names and identities, including
“peteedee,” “handsomehammer,”
and “mikesingsandplays.” State
investigators believe that DiGiovanni
may have attempted to contact and/or solicit
sexual encounters with other juveniles.
The Division of Criminal Justice - Computer
Analysis & Technology Unit is seeking
additional information related to DiGiovanni’s
on-line communications.
The indictment was handed-up to Mercer
County Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg,
the Supervising Judge of the State Grand
Jury, on March 28. The defendant will
be required to appear in Monmouth County
Superior Court for arraignment and bail.
An indictment is merely a charge. The
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty in a court of law.
The investigation was coordinated by State
Investigator Rosario Zito assigned to
the Division of Criminal Justice - Computer
Analysis & Technology Unit. Additional;
investigative assistance was provided
by the Monmouth University Police Department
and the Neptune Township Police Department.
Criminal Justice Director McKoy noted
that the Division of Criminal Justice
- Computer Analysis & Technology Unit
employs a team of specially-trained state
investigators who go on-line to track,
investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals
who use technology and computer systems
to commit criminal acts in New Jersey.
As part of their continuing investigative
responsibilities, undercover state investigators
patrol various chat rooms where potential
sexual predators seek to engage juveniles
in conversation with the goal of ultimately
luring a targeted juvenile into a sexual
encounter.
“Sexual
predators using the Internet to target
juveniles for sexual encounters is an
investigative priority for the Division
of Criminal Justice - Computer Analysis
& Technology Unit,” said Director
McKoy. “The Computer Analysis &
Technology Unit encourages parents to
carefully monitor on-line conversations
and to question children about any improper
E-Mails, instant messages, or other communications
received via the Internet. Children should
never provide personal information such
as name, address, phone number and school
information to unknown individuals while
communicating on-line. If you suspect
any improper or suspicious contact by
unknown persons communicating via the
Internet, call the Division of Criminal
Justice - Computer Analysis & Technology
Unit “Tip Line” at
1-800-396-2310 or log-on to the
Division of Criminal Justice Web site
at www.njdcj.org.”
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