FREEHOLD – Monmouth County law enforcement recently arrested 14 individuals for viewing or sharing child sexual exploitation materials online during “Operation Trading Post.”
“Operation Trading Post” took place from June to October 2018, carried out by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit and Monmouth County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The operation was designed to reduce online threats to local children and decrease child sexual exploitation by targeting those viewing or trafficking child pornographic materials, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
“It is incumbent on everyone, particularly those of us in law enforcement, to protect children from harm and exploitation. To that end, Operation Trading Post caught individuals who shamelessly viewed and shared depraved images of children being sexually abused,” Gramiccioni said. “Our successful operation demonstrates the value of our partnerships with the local law enforcement agencies that help our ICAC Task Force continue to have a vigilant and watchful eye for this extremely damaging criminal activity.”
Among those 14 individuals were a former member of the Environmental Commission in Atlantic Highlands, an employee of Princeton University, a VP of Operations for ING Financial Markets, and even a laborer at Love Inc., stated Gramiccioni.
The following individuals were arrested during the operation:
- Jonathan Henry, 22, of Keyport. Henry was charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Michael Balbosa, 34, of Neptune City. Balbosa is charged with one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Anthony Johnson, 38, of Neptune Township. Johnson is charged with one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography). Johnson is represented by Patricia Colligan, Esq.
- Rene Torres, 48, of Howell Township. Torres is charged with one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- A Juvenile, of Holmdel, was arrested on July 25, 2018. The juvenile is charged with one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Brian Foley, 60, of Atlantic Highlands. Foley is charged with one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Alexander Ecock, 22, of Freehold. Ecock is charged with one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- William McMahon, 64, of Keansburg. McMahon was charged with one count of Luring, a second degree crime, one count of Attempted Sexual Assault, a second degree crime, and one count of Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a third degree crime.
- Thiago Thebald-Simas, 24, of Long Branch. Thebald-Simas is charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, second degree (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- David Wu, 32, of Hazlet. Wu is charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, second degree (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Joshua Valerio, 37, of Eatontown. Valerio is charged with one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Fady Elghazaly, 33, of Marlboro. Elghazaly is charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, second degree (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Ronald Paul, 56, of Freehold. Paul is charged with one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography) and one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Ryan Marques, 18, of Howell. A warrant was issued for Marques’s arrest on October 25, 2018 charging him with one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
- Gregory Cantrell, 61, of Freehold. Cantrell is charged with one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of Child Pornography).
All defendants have been released on conditions of no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18 and no internet. McMahon will remain incarcerated pending a court appearance.
Assisting in Operation Trading Post were members of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Asbury Park, Freehold Borough, Hazlet Township, Holmdel Township, Howell Township, Keansburg, Keyport, Manalapan Township, Marlboro Township, Middletown Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Sea Bright, Spring Lake, Tinton Falls, and Wall Township police departments.
