TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram announced
that a Monmouth County man was indicted today
on charges that he distributed child pornography
through the Internet.
Stuart
Patterson, 43, of Keansburg, was charged in
a state grand jury indictment with second-degree
distribution of child pornography and fourth-degree
possession of child pornography, according
to Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni.
The
indictment alleges that Patterson sent at
least one e-mail containing child pornography
from his America Online e-mail address in
November 2007.
Patterson
was arrested on Oct. 10, 2008, when the New
Jersey State Police executed a search warrant
that allegedly revealed multiple images of
child pornography on Patterson’s home
computer. He was released without posting
bail.
Members
of the New Jersey State Police Digital Technology
Investigations Unit coordinated the investigation.
Deputy Attorney General Lee Schaer presented
the case to the state grand jury.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 10 years in state prison and a
fine of up to $150,000. Fourth-degree crimes
carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in state
prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The
indictment was handed up to Superior Court
Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Mercer County,
who assigned the case to Hudson County, where
Patterson will be ordered to appear at a later
date to answer the charges. Patterson lived
in Hudson County at the time of the alleged
crime.
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