By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Mercer County announced that an investigation into online child exploitation has resulted in the arrest of a Hamilton man.
Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton stated that Don-Diego Parkman, 19, of Hamilton, is charged with one count of first-degree aggravated explicit contact, one count of second-degree explicit contact, one count of first-degree manufacturing explicit contact abuse material (CSAM), one count of third-degree possession of CSAM and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Officials stated the prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Parkman pending trial.
Earlier this month, detectives with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit and the New Jersey State Police ICAC Task Force received information from law enforcement in Missouri that a minor in their jurisdiction had been chatting and exchanging explicit child abuse material at the direction of an individual named Don-Diego Parkman, officials say.
Officials said an investigation was initiated, and detectives discovered that, in addition to exchanging explicit messages and photos with the preteen girl, Parkman was directing her to take photos and videos of herself engaging in explicit conduct to send to him.
Last week, members of the prosecutor’s ICAC Unit, with assistance from the Hamilton Police SWAT Team, executed a search warrant at Parkman’s Hamilton residence, where detectives seized multiple items of evidentiary value, authorities say.
According to officials, Parkman was taken into custody without incident.
During the course of the investigation, officials said, authorities learned that during the past year, Parkman has been employed as a costumed character and mascot by companies including Six Flags Great Adventure, Somerset Baseball Partners, Devils Arena Entertainment, and most recently, Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pa.