A 24-year-old Princeton man has been charged with one count each of distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material, according to Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey.
Oliver Diaz Pulex, who was arrested Feb. 21, allegedly distributed an item showing or portraying a child in a sexually explicit manner, the prosecutor’s office said. He allegedly used the internet to do so.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified the Prosecutor’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit that a Mercer County resident had uploaded a file of suspected child sexual abuse material to the internet.
An investigation was launched and Pulex was identified as a suspect. He was arrested and charged after law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his home on Witherspoon Street. Several items of evidentiary valued were seized by detectives.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, assisted by the Special Victims Unit, the Economic Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mercer County Tactical Response Team carried out the search warrant.
Pulex was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Mercer County Correction Center. He was released Feb. 22 after an initial court hearing. A judge ordered him to be released, pending future court appearances.
The second-degree crime of distribution of child sexual abuse material carries a sentence of five to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The third-degree crime of possession of child sexual abuse material carries a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit at (609) 989-6568 or mcposvu@mercercounty.org.
Anyone with information about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children on the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children is asked to contact the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit at (609) 989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at (888) 648-6007.
