Barnegat Township man charged in child sexual abuse material investigation
Barnegat Township, NJ – A cyber tip received by national authorities has led to criminal charges against a Barnegat Township man accused of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on Thursday, Fabian Lugo-Sanchez, 28, of Barnegat, was charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material.
The investigation originated with a referral from the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip indicating an individual was sending and receiving illegal images online. Investigators traced activity connected to the sharing of child sexual abuse material to an IP address associated with a residence in Barnegat Township.
Detectives with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Squad determined the material was accessed and distributed using the Kik Messenger application. Further investigation identified Lugo-Sanchez as the individual responsible and revealed that more than 1,000 items of child sexual abuse material had allegedly been shared.
On Thursday, Lugo-Sanchez surrendered at Barnegat Township Police Headquarters in the presence of his attorney. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is being held pending a detention hearing.
Prosecutors credited the investigation to a coordinated effort involving the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Squad, Barnegat Township Police Department, the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Authorities emphasized that the charges are allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.