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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram announced
that a Union County man and a Passaic County
man have been charged in separate state grand
jury indictments for the alleged distribution
of child pornography over the Internet.
The
defendants were among more than three dozen
people arrested in September and October 2007
as part of “Operation Silent Shield,”
an investigation that targeted offenders who
distributed known images and videos of child
pornography via the Internet.
According
to Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni,
Bilal A. Assayyid, a.k.a. Rodney A. Smythe,
35, of Elizabeth, was charged yesterday (Dec.
9) with two counts of second-degree distribution
of child pornography and one count of fourth-degree
possession of child pornography. The indictment
alleges that on July 26, 2007, Assayyid knowingly
offered child pornography for distribution
over the Internet. It is alleged that between
July 26 and Sept. 26, 2007, Assayyid knowingly
used Internet file sharing software to make
files containing child pornography readily
available for any other user to download from
a designated “shared folder” on
his computer. Assayyid was arrested on Sept.
26, 2007 and is free on bail.
David
J. Pavoni, 26, of Clifton, was charged yesterday
(Dec. 9) in a separate indictment with two
counts of second-degree distribution of child
pornography and one count of fourth-degree
possession of child pornography. The indictment
alleges that on Aug. 15, 2007, Pavoni knowingly
offered child pornography computer for distribution
over the internet. It is alleged that between
Aug. 15 and Sept. 25, 2007, Pavoni knowingly
used Internet file sharing software to make
files containing child pornography readily
available for any other user to download from
a designated “shared folder” on
his computer. Pavoni was arrested on Sept.
25, 2007 and is free on bail.
The
Digital Technology Investigation Unit of the
New Jersey State Police conducted the investigations.
Deputy Attorney General Andrew C. Fried presented
the cases to the grand jury.
Second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in state prison and a $150,000 fine, while
fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence
of 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The indictments are merely accusations and
the defendants are presumed innocent until
proven guilty.
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