FREEHOLD – A Freehold man pleaded guilty to the distribution of child pornography, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Daniel Deluca, 23, of Franklin Drive in Freehold Township, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography), before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Scully.
In pleading guilty, Deluca admitted he sent emails and text messages containing items of child pornography, and distributed child pornography using the social media messenger known as “Kik.”
In exchange for his guilty plea, the State will recommend an aggregate sentence of 10 years in New Jersey State Prison, with a five-year period of parole ineligibility. Upon his release from prison, Deluca will also be subject to the provisions of “Megan’s Law” and Parole Supervision for Life. Sentencing is scheduled to take place on January 13, 2017, before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Scully.
Deluca was arrested following a January 14, 2014 CyberTip received by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The tip indicated that two videos of suspected child pornography were emailed using an AOL Instant Messenger email address from an IP address in defendant’s home. After the execution of a search warrant, the two videos attached to the email were located on Deluca’s computer. Forensic examinations of defendant’s computer and cell phone, along with a review of the contents of his cloud storage account, revealed Deluca possessed and distributed numerous images and videos of child pornography.
The case is being handled by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Margaret Koping.
Deluca is represented by Robert Weir, Esq., of Little Silver.
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