Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri reported today that an investigation into online child exploitation has resulted in the arrest of an East Windsor man.
Police say Mitchell B. Richtman, 31, of East Windsor, is charged with second-degree possession of child pornography and fourth-degree animal cruelty.
The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Richtman pending trial.
Detectives with the prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit recently received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual in Mercer County was uploading child pornography.
An investigation was initiated and Richtmanwas identified as a suspect.
On Thursday, January 27, detectives with the ICAC unit executed a search warrant at Richtman’s residence in East Windsor.
He was detained without incident and several electronic devices were seized.
Forensic previews conducted on those devices revealed a second-degree amount of child pornography depicting children as young as five years old.
Additionally, detectives located several videos depicting Richtman performing sexual acts on a horse.
Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of 5 to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
Fourth-degree crimes carry a sentence of up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Prosecutor Onofri urges anyone with information about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of minors to please contact his Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit at 609-989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at 888-648-6007.
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.