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TagsFormer N.J. Assemblyman faces 5 years in prison
Former New Jersey Assemblyman Neil M. Cohen (D-Union) pleaded guilty Monday to a charge of distributing child pornography, admitting that he used computer equipment in the 20th Legislative District office to view, print and distribute images of child porn.
Cohen, 59, now of Paramus, pleaded guilty to second-degree endangering the welfare of a child through the distribution of child pornography, a charge contained in an indictment obtained by the state Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau.
Cohen pleaded guilty before state Superior Court Judge Gerald J. Council in Trenton.
Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Cohen be sentenced to five years in state prison. In addition, he will be permanently barred from any elected office or public employment, and he will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law.
Cohen, an attorney, was a liberal legislator who served more than 16 years in the Assembly. He resigned from the lower house on July 28, 2008 after the investigation became public.
"Mr. Cohen, through his actions in viewing and distributing child pornography, linked himself to an abhorrent industry that preys on children," state Attorney General Paula T. Dow said. "Every single person who willingly enters the criminal network of suppliers and users of child pornography becomes part of the tragic exploitation and abuse of the innocent victims."
Cohen admitted that he viewed images of child pornography on a computer in the 20th District Office in Union Township and printed copies of images of child pornography that he placed in the desk of a female receptionist in the office.
"Not only did Mr. Cohen access, print and distribute child pornography, he did it in his legislative office using equipment paid for by state taxpayers," state Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor said. "He not only betrayed any standard of decency, he betrayed the people of the state of New Jersey."
Council scheduled sentencing for July 12.
In July 2008, the State Police were notified of child pornography being found in the 20th District office. Troopers and the Division of Criminal Justice immediately began an investigation.
Detectives executed a search warrant to seize the hard drives from the office's computers. A review of the hard drives yielded multiple images of child pornography. The investigation revealed that Cohen was the individual who viewed and printed child pornography.
Cohen was first indicted by a state grand jury on Dec. 17, 2008. That indictment was superseded by a second indictment on July 9.
Deputy Attorney General Anthony A. Picione, deputy chief of the Corruption Bureau, and Deputy Attorney General Christine Hoffman, chief of the bureau, are prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted for the Division of Criminal Justice by Sgt. David Salzmann, Det. Michael Behar, Sgt. Warren Monroe, Det. Harry Maronpot, and Deputy Attorney General Kenneth Sharpe in the Computer Analysis and Technology Unit.
The investigation was conducted for the State Police by Det. Sgt. 1st Class Bryant Hoar, Det. Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Celli III, Det. Sgt. Karl Ulbrich, Det. Deniele DeBoer and Det. Anthony Carugno of the Official Corruption Unit; Sgt. Charles Allen, Det. Gregory Godish and Lt. Keith Halton of the Digital Technology Investigations Unit; and Det. Denman Powers of the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.
Dow said is New Jerseyans suspect that someone is using or distributing child pornography on the Internet or suspect improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the Internet they can contact the Division of Criminal Justice Computer Analysis & Technology Unit Tip Line at 1-800-396-2310 or report it at www.njdcj.org.
— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
