Freehold Man Found Guilty for Illicit Photos of Childen

Charlie Dwyer

FREEHOLD – A 74-year-old man has been found guilty by a jury in Monmouth County for the possession of illicit photos of children in connection with a 2017 arrest.

According to Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey, James Simmons, 74, of Freehold Township, was convicted on Wednesday, July 20 of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material and third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material.

“A July 2017 investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, along with NJ ICAC Task Force and the Freehold Township Police Department revealed that Simmons was found to be in a possession of a USB thumb drive with over 100 videos depicting the sexual abuse of a child, along with peer-to-peer file sharing programs from electronic devices located at his residence on Harding Road in Freehold Township,” police reported. “The New Jersey Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory assisted in the analysis of the electronic devices recovered from the defendant’s residence.”

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During the trial, Simmons testified that the materials and files found belonged to his son, who had died prior to Simmons’ arrest.


“I am grateful for the collaborative investigative efforts of my office’s detectives, Assistant Prosecutor Dugan, the NJ ICAC Task Force, and the Freehold Township Police Department for their work on this case.  It is imperative that we continue to do all that we can to protect our most vulnerable citizens, our children, from being victimized in this way,” said Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey.


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