KEANSBURG – Authorities said a man convinced a teenaged girl to send him illicit photos and videos and then sent those images to her family.
David Lopez, 38, of Jersey City is charged with first-degree Manufacturing Child Sexual Abuse Materials, five counts of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child via Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, three counts of third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, single counts of third-degree Making Terroristic Threats, third-degree Criminal Coercion, and third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child via Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials; and six counts of fourth-degree Cyber Harassment.
According to the police, Lopez contacted the victim for the first time over social media before August of 2020. He asked her to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos. The victim agreed, but eventually decided to stop. In response, Lopez sent those images to her family members, some of them as young as 11. He also threatened to harm her family, have others harm them, burn down their house, and said he could make her life “a living hell.”
He was arrested on August 25, 2020. He has been on home detention and was ordered to have no contact with the victim and no Internet access.
If convicted, he could receive 10-20 years in prison for each first degree crime and 5-10 years for each second degree crime.
Police are trying to find out if he had any other victims. Anyone with additional information about Lopez’s activities is being asked to contact Keansburg Police Department Detective Lt. Bryan King at 732-787-0600.
Charges are merely accusations until proven in a court of law.
