JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ – Ricardo Espinoza Gonzalez, a 23-year-old resident of Jackson Township, has been charged with possession of child pornography, announced Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
The charges against Espinoza Gonzalez stem from an investigation initiated by the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force received cyber-tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an individual uploading child pornography images online. The investigation, led by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, traced the activity to an IP address at a Jackson Township residence, subsequently identifying Espinoza Gonzalez as the suspect.
On February 28, detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, together with officers from the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Jackson Township Police Department, and Lakewood Township Police Department, executed a court-authorized search warrant at Espinoza Gonzalez’s home.
A preliminary forensic examination of his cell phone revealed several items of child pornography. Espinoza Gonzalez was arrested without incident and has been lodged at the Ocean County Jail, awaiting a detention hearing.