FREEHOLD – Ronald J. Charles, 51, of Love Lane in Freehold Township, the owner of Galaxy Gymnastics was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of third degree Possession of Child Pornography, announced Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit and the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Regional Task Force received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The CyberTip reported an individual, later identified as Charles, attempted to send multiple images of child pornography via his personal email address. Based on that information, a search warrant was issued leading to the seizure of a computer from Charles’ home office. A subsequent examination of that computer revealed numerous images of child pornography. The investigation was conducted by Detective Richard Hudak, of the Freehold Township Police Department and ICAC Regional Task Force, in conjunction with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit.
Charles was arrested yesterday without incident. He was released after posting $40,000 bail with no 10 percent option, as set by Freehold Township Municipal Court Judge Nicole Sonnenblick. Charles is also prohibited from having any unsupervised contact with any minors and barred from using the Internet as conditions of his release on bail, according to the judge.
If convicted of Possession of Child Pornography, Charles faces a sentence of three to five years in prison on each count.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Margaret Koping, of the Office’s Computer Crimes Unit.
Charles is represented by Eric Nelson, Esq., of Ocean Township and Staten Island, N.Y.
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