By: Yuritza Arroyo
Morris County authorities announced the arrest of John Green, age 65, of Washington Township, in connection with maintaining a peer-to-peer child abuse network and possession of child sex abuse material.
According to officials, Green has been charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Maintaining a Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Program of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM)), a first-degree offense, and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of CSAM), a second-degree offense in violation.
Officials say the investigation began when the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit identified possible CSAM on a BitTorrent site in Morris County.
BitTorrent is a Peer-to-Peer file sharing network. The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office referred this information to the Morris County Prosecutor’s ICAC Task Force of the Sex Crimes / Child Endangerment Unit.
Further investigation revealed numerous media files, each depicting the alleged sexual exploitation or abuse of a minor, stored on the BitTorrent site.
According to authorities, the investigation further revealed that these were accessible for download. It is alleged the BitTorrent was associated with the defendant’s residence, where he lives alone.
A search of the defendant’s electronic devices revealed additional items of suspected CSAM on his computer. An initial review revealed in excess of 1,000 items of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
Green was arrested on the above charges on June 2.
Following his arrest on June 19, he was detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility, pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform Act.