By: Richard L. Smith
A Mercer County man has been sentenced to parole supervision for life following an investigation into online child exploitation, Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey announced.
Philip Nelson, 35, of Ewing, was sentenced on August 15 by Superior Court Judge Peter E. Warshaw to a suspended state prison term along with lifetime parole supervision.
The case began after the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that an individual in the county had uploaded multiple files containing suspected explicit materials involving minors (CSAM). Detectives launched an investigation and identified Nelson as the suspect.
In March 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Nelson’s residence in Ewing, where they seized several items of evidentiary value.
He was subsequently charged with possession of CSAM and possession with intent to distribute.
On April 30, Nelson pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child by possessing fewer than 1,000 CSAM images.
As part of his sentence, Nelson, who was employed as a state worker, was also ordered to forfeit his public job and is permanently barred from seeking future public employment.
Prosecutor Marbrey reminded the public that anyone with information about suspected online exploitation or inappropriate contact involving children should contact the ICAC Unit at (609) 989-6568.