MORRIS COUNTY — Officials from Morris County, including Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert M. McNally, and Boonton Township Police Chief Thomas L. Cacciabeve, announced the apprehension of Jeff A. Fernandez, 25, Boonton Township, related to charges of possessing Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM).
The accused faces a charge of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of CSAM), categorized as a second-degree crime.
The case originated from a CyberTip provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which highlighted specific video and photo files that are believed to showcase the abuse or exploitation of minors. Investigators, upon reviewing the tip, singled out Jeff Fernandez as a potential suspect. It was discovered that Fernandez allegedly had over 1,000 CSAM items on a digital device.
On August 15, Fernandez was detained based on these charges. Post-arrest, under the Criminal Justice Reform Act, he was granted a pretrial release with conditions that involve close monitoring and restricted online access.
Prosecutor Carroll expressed gratitude to the Boonton Township Police Department, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the New Jersey State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations for their commitment to the case.
Anyone possessing further details related to this case is urged to reach out to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. They can be contacted at (973) 285-6200.
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the juveniles are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
