TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that a Cumberland County man and a Camden
County woman were indicted today by a state
grand jury for allegedly photographing a
sexual act involving two children.
In
a related case, a Cape May County woman
was indicted yesterday on charges that she
videotaped herself performing a sexual act
on an infant. Both indictments are the result
of an investigation by the New Jersey State
Police and the Division of Criminal Justice.
According
to Director Taylor, Gary T. Cramer, 26,
of Bridgeton, and Rachael L. Baker, 20,
of Winslow Township, were indicted today
on charges of second-degree conspiracy,
two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual
assault, three counts of second-degree endangering
the welfare of a child (including one count
of distribution of child pornography), two
counts of third-degree endangering the welfare
of a child, and one count of fourth-degree
endangering the welfare of a child (possession
of child pornography). Those counts relate
to allegations that Cramer solicited Baker
to have her photograph a girl and a boy
engaged in a sexual act. Baker, who believed
Cramer was her boyfriend, allegedly directed
an 8-year-old girl to perform oral sex on
a 13-year-old boy, and took a photo of the
act with her cell phone that she sent to
Cramer’s phone.
Cramer
and Baker are charged with five additional
counts of endangering the welfare of a child,
including possession and distribution of
child pornography, in connection with other
alleged pornographic photos of the 8-year-old
girl.
“These
three defendants are charged with acts of
sexual depravity and exploitation involving
very young children,” said Attorney
General Dow. “We are committed to
bringing the full weight of the law down
on such defendants. We now have indicted
them on first-degree charges of aggravated
sexual assault, carrying a maximum sentence
of 20 years in prison.”
“Our
prosecutions of sexual predators are increasingly
focused on computer forensics and digital
technology,” said Director Taylor.
“We will continue to work hand in
hand with the experts in the New Jersey
State Police Digital Technology Investigations
Unit to uncover and aggressively prosecute
these criminals who target our most vulnerable
children.”
In
the second indictment, Stephanie Bennett,
24, of Woodbine, was charged yesterday with
first-degree aggravated sexual assault and
five counts of endangering the welfare of
a child, including four second-degree counts
and one fourth-degree count. It is alleged
that she made a video using her cell phone
of herself performing oral sex on an infant
boy.
State
Police detectives initially arrested Baker
on Jan. 23, and arrested Cramer and Bennett
on Feb. 16. Cramer and Baker are being held
in jail in Camden County with bail set at
$200,000 each. Bennett is in the Cape May
County Jail with bail set at $300,000.
The
lead investigator for the New Jersey State
Police is Detective Erin Micciulla. The
case was investigated by the New Jersey
State Police Digital Technology Investigations
Unit, New Jersey Internet Crimes Against
Children Task Force, NJSP Cyber Crimes Unit,
NJSP Missing Persons Unit, NJSP Troop A
Criminal Investigation Office and NJSP TEAMS
South Unit. Assistance was provided by the
Camden County Prosecutor’s Office,
Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office
and Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
Deputy
Attorney General Kenneth Sharpe is assigned
to the investigation and prosecution for
the Division of Criminal Justice Computer
Analysis and Technology Unit. He presented
the cases to the state grand juries.
As
part of the investigation, the State Police
executed search warrants on Feb. 16 for
Cramer’s home, his vehicle and Bennett’s
home. Detectives seized three computers
from Cramer’s home. During the search
of his vehicle, detectives seized a laptop
computer and cell phone belonging to Cramer,
as well as a cell phone that had belonged
to Bennett. They were taken to the Regional
Computer Forensic Laboratory at the Hamilton
(Mercer County) Technology Center for examination.
First-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 20 years
in state prison and a $200,000 fine; second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in prison and a fine of $150,000; third-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of five
years in prison and a $15,000 fine; and
fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence
of 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The
indictments were handed up to Superior Court
Judge Pedro J. Jimenez Jr. in Mercer County,
who assigned the Bennett indictment to Cape
May County and the Cramer and Baker indictment
to Camden County. The indictments are merely
accusations and the defendants are presumed
innocent until proven guilty. The indictments
are posted with this press release at www.njpublicsafety.com.
If
you suspect improper contact by unknown
persons communicating with children via
the Internet or possible exploitation or
sexual abuse of children please contact
the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children
Task Force Tipline at 1-888-648-6007.
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