OCEAN CITY – Daniel C. Farrell, 61, of Wesley Avenue, Ocean City, was charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.
Cape May County Prosecutor, Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Chief Jay Prettyman of the Ocean City Police Department made the announcement Friday.
This investigation stemmed from a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (N.C.M.E.C.) CyberTip that revealed an unidentified subject, identified as Farrell, allegedly possessed various images of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) via his cloud account.
On July 11, the investigation was concluded as a result of the execution of a court-authorized search warrant on Farrell’s cellular device. This search warrant was executed by members of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit & Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI-Atlantic City), and the Ocean City Police Department. Following the execution of the Court-authorized search warrant and as a result of the interviews conducted, it was alleged that Farrell was using his cellular device to upload/view child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
On July 11, as the result of the investigation, Farrell was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography, a crime of the third-degree and distribution of child pornography, a crime of the second-degree. Farrell was processed and lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Facility, pending court proceedings.
An individuals charged with a third-degree crime is subject to a term of imprisonment of three to fiveyears in New Jersey State Prison and individuals charged with a second-degree crime is subject to a term of imprisonment of five to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Sutherland thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI-Atlantic City) and the Ocean City Police Department for their assistance with this investigation. He stated this investigation is part of the ongoing effort by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police (ICAC) Task Force to identify individuals involved in the exploitation of children and who possess or distribute child pornography.
Information can be reported to the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at (609) 465-1135, or anonymously on the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office website at cmcpo.tips as well as through the Cape May County Sheriff’s Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net by clicking on anonymous tip, or by contacting Cape May County Crime Stoppers at (609) 889-3597. Any charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty.