By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Ocean County announced that on April 21, Edward Lynch, 52, of Toms River, was charged with Distribution of Explicit Images Involving Minors and Possession of Explicit Images Involving Minors.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said this investigation was the result of a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
NCMEC received cyber-tips that an individual was downloading explicit images of minors from the internet; an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit identified an IP address associated with a residence in Toms River as the location from which the individual was downloading these images, officials say.
According to officials, on August 24, 2023, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, and Toms River Township Police Department Emergency Services Unit executed a court-authorized search warrant on the subject residence.
As a result, Detectives seized multiple electronic devices from the residence, officials said.
Authorities say an initial forensic examination of the devices by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit led to the discovery of more than 1000 items of Explicit Images Involving Minors.
Officials stated that a further investigation revealed that Lynch was the individual responsible for downloading the explicit images in question.
Ocean County officials stated on August 24, 2023, Lynch was charged with Possession of Explicit Images Involving Minors.
Lynch was taken into custody at his residence without incident; he was thereafter transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, officials say.
Authorities say a full forensic examination of all seized electronic devices by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit furthered the investigation.
The examination revealed that Lynch knowingly distributed more than 1,000 Explicit Images Involving Minors using the internet applications Telegram, Session, and Wickr Me, officials said.
As a consequence, officials stated, Lynch was additionally charged on April 21 with the Distribution of Explicit Images Involving Minors, along with a second count of Possession of Explicit Images Involving Minors.
Officials said that, on that date, Lynch surrendered himself to Toms River Township Police Headquarters.
He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing, officials say.