Waretown, NJ – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man is scheduled to make his initial appearance today after being charged with possessing and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Stephen Tisch, 36, of Minotola, New Jersey, formerly of Waretown is charged by indictment with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He was arrested by FBI agents today and is expected to appear by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman.
According to the indictment filed in this case and statements made in court:
A law enforcement investigation revealed that Tisch, living in Ocean County at the time, and who previously had been convicted of child pornography offenses, had distributed images of child sexual abuse over an online social media chat forum. A search of Tisch’s residence found multiple images depicting the sexual exploitation of children on Tisch’s mobile phone.
Tisch was previously convicted of endangering the welfare of a child/possession of child pornography in Ocean County in 2014. The charge of possession of child pornography, for a repeat offender, carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of distribution of child pornography, for a repeat offender, carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents with FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., New Jersey Regional Forensics Computer Laboratory, under the direction of Supervisory Special Agent Steven J. Newman, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle S. Gasparian and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Magee Lee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations against the defendant are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.