N.J. task force results in 79 arrests on child sex assault, porn charges

A nine-month, multi-agency task force has led to the arrests of 79 child predators and child pornography offenders statewide including eight from Bergen County, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced Friday.

Operation Safety Net “targeted sex offenders who exploited the internet and social media,” Porrino said in a statement. The accused range in age from 14 to 75.

“The men we arrested lurked in the shadows of the internet and social media, looking for opportunities to sexually assault young children or to view such unspeakable assaults by sharing child pornography,” said Porrino while making the announcement at the Hamilton Technology Center.

“We set up a wide safety net in this operation to snare these alleged predators and to protect children, which remains our highest priority," Porrino said. "With our new mobile forensics lab and electronics-sniffing dog, we’re even better equipped to uncover the evidence that will keep these offenders behind bars, where they cannot threaten or further exploit vulnerable victims.”

The New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force initiative resulted in arrests in every county in the state, including child sex traffickers from out of state, men who attempted to lure minors for sex, a camp counselor who allegedly assaulted a teenage girl and a youth minister sent lewd photos to a teenage girl.

“We charged 10 men with hands-on predatory conduct against children, including attempted interstate trafficking of children for sex, sexual assault, luring, sending obscene images to a child, or manufacturing child pornography,” said Porrino. “These cases highlight the fact that viewing child pornography is part of a continuum of deviant behavior that often leads to or drives other sex crimes.”

Among the most serious charges announced by the Attorney General's Office are against a California man. George Castillo, 36, of Inglewood, is facing federal charges of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and production of child pornography, as well as New Jersey charges including first-degree conspiracy to commit child trafficking.

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Castillo was caught in an online sting operation after he allegedly solicited an undercover New Jersey State Police detective, who pretended to be trafficking children, to fly a 4-year-old girl to Los Angeles so he could sexually assault her. Castillo also allegedly solicited a Washington, D.C. detective, who posed as a father, to bring his "9-year-old daughter," to Los Angeles for sex. Castillo was arrested April 4 at Los Angeles International Airport.

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“The charges against Castillo reveal a dangerous child predator who went to great lengths in the belief that he was flying two very young girls to California so he could sexually assault them,” said Porrino. “Had we not arrested him with our federal and California partners, the allegations indicate he would have continued to seek victims, including children as young as toddlers.”

An undercover New Jersey State Police detective also assisted in the apprehension of a Brownsburg, Indiana man. Joseph Donohew, 26, allegedly offered money to the undercover Jersey detective, whom he met on social media, in exchange for sex with a 9-year-old girl. He sent the detective a $100 down payment and was arrested at an Indiana gas station when he arrived to meet the girl. Authorities said Donohew had purchased a Disney nightgown for the girl with her favorite characters.

“We’ve made these proactive child protection investigations a top priority by adding more staff for them at the state level and considerable new resources,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “There’s no question that by collaborating across all levels of law enforcement and arresting these offenders, we protected innocent children who might otherwise have been sexually abused and exploited.”

A 17-year-old Bergen County male student was arrested Aug. 17 and charged with manufacturing, distributing and possessing child pornography, as well as invasion of privacy by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.

The teen, whose name was not released because he is a minor, allegedly made video recordings by “hiding his smartphone in a private bathroom in order to record underage boys who were nude, showering or urinating,” according to the Attorney General’s Office. He allegedly had in his possession more than 1,000 files of child pornography on his electronic devices, according to authorities.

Also charged in Operation Safety Net included, according to Porrino, were:

Bergen County

Christopher Todd, 49, of Lyndhurst, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Alexis Gonzalez, 28, of Hackensack, possession of child pornography.

James Agin, 69, of Westwood, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Zachary Brawer, 31, of Paramus, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Nicolas Bencze, 36, of Maywood, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Michael Yosco, 70, Garfield, charged with possession of child pornography.

A 14-year-old from Bergen County, possession of child pornography.

Passaic County

Justin Saavedra, 22, of Clifton, distribution of child pornography.

Essex County

Luis Pacheco-Loja, 30, of Belleville, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Brian J. Gardner, 74, of Nutley, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Hudson County

William Esker, 22, of Bayonne, was charged Sept. 7 with aggravated criminal sexual contact by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly engaging in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl over whom he supervised as a camp counselor. Also, Esker is charged with providing obscene material to a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

Raul Rodriguez, 33, of Jersey City, possession of child pornography.

Jonathan Latiff 40, of Jersey City, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Morris County

Robert Elmi, 63, of Gillette, which is located within Long Hill Township, was arrested by the New Jersey State Police Nov. 9 and charged with luring a child. Authorities said that Elmi placed an ad on Craigslist soliciting a relationship with a younger female that was answered by an undercover detective who indicated to Elmi he was a 13-year-old girl. After communicating for several weeks via text and email, Elmi arranged to meet the "13-year-old" at a diner and take her back to his apartment, according to the authorities. The State Police arrested Elmi at the diner.

William Camargo, 48, of Millington, which is located within Long Hill Township, an IT professional, allegedly had more than 138,000 files of suspected child pornography, and possibly more than 1 million files (determination awaiting full forensic examinations of computer equipment).

Stephen Slawinski, 60, of Morris Plains, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Herbert Ferreira, 43, of Dover, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Marco Biason, 68, of Dover, charged with possession of child pornography.

Christopher Dunham, 22, of Rockaway, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Justin Piccola, 23, of Randolph, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Sussex County

Michael DeBlock, 22, of Hopatcong, who worked as a youth minister, was arrested Oct. 10 and charged with possession of child pornography and conveying obscene materials to a child by the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office. DeBlock allegedly exchanged sexual photos over Snapchat and texts with a girl, 14, including a photo of his penis.

James Livas, 22, of Hopatcong, possession and distribution of child pornography.

Robert Fuscarino, 27, of Hopatcong, possession and distribution of child pornography.

The task force was led by the New Jersey State Police and includes the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), all 21 County Prosecutors’ Offices, and other local law enforcement agencies.

“The individuals who share this horrific material will not stop unless they are apprehended and removed from the public,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “These arrests should put anyone looking to engage in this behavior on notice that law enforcement will be relentless in our efforts to put them behind bars.”