Officials say Howard Brown, 56, of Atlantic City, believed he was chatting with a 14-year-old boy he met online. However, Brown had actually been sending messages to an undercover Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent working with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit (HTCU).
The investigation began on April 11 when Howard Brown reached out to the Special Agent believing she was a teenager. Conversations between him and the “14-year-old boy” eventually led to an agreed upon location where they could meet allegedly to engage in sexual activity.
According to the ding to officials on May 14, just before 3:00 p.m., Mr. Brown drove from Atlantic City to the Camden Waterfront where he was met and arrested by law enforcement officers.
Detectives seized a digital device that was in Brown’s possession and took it to Camden County Prosecutor’s Office HTCU for analysis.
Officials say Howard Brown, who is employed at Avalon Tile in Egg Harbor Township, was charged with second degree Luring, according to Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo and Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson.
He was also charged with Attempted Criminal Sexual Contact, Attempted Sexual Assault with a minor and Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Howard Brown was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a pretrial detention hearing. Under Criminal Justice Reform rules, the court may order he be detained or released with conditions.
These charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the High-Tech Crimes Unit of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Cherry Hill Office.
Members of the Camden County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) assisted the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office HTCU Detectives.
The investigation is ongoing.