By: Jeff Sommes
Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey reported Tuesday that an investigation into online exploitation of a minor has resulted in the arrest of a Princeton man.
Detectives with the Prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an individual in Mercer County was uploading items portraying the sexual exploitation or abuse of minors.
An investigation was initiated, and Princeton resident Austin Brock was identified as a subject.
In coordination with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the ICAC unit obtained a search warrant for Brock’s Princeton residence.
The warrant was executed on the morning of July 8, 2025 and resulted in the seizure of items of evidentiary value.
Brock, 30, was taken into custody without incident and charged with second-degree distribution of explicit images of minors and abuse material, second-degree possession with intent to distribute sexual abuse material depicting minors, and third-degree possession of sexual abuse material.
Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to ten years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
Brock is an employee of Life Time Fitness in Plainsboro and is a volunteer firefighter with the Princeton Fire Department.
Prosecutor Marbrey 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 her 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.