Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Chief of Detectives Robert M. McNally, and Boonton Township Police Chief Thomas L. Cacciabeve announce the arrest of Jeff A. Fernandez, age 25, of Boonton, in connection with possession of Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM).
The defendant has been charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Possession of CSAM), a second degree crime in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4B(5)(b)(ii).
The investigation began with a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) referencing video and image files allegedly depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of minors. Based on the CyberTip, investigators identified Jeff Fernandez as a suspect, and determined that the defendant allegedly possessed over 1,000 items of CSAM on an electronic device.
Fernandez was arrested on the above charge on August 15, 2023. Following his arrest, he was released pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform Act with pretrial release conditions that include monitoring and limited internet usage.
Prosecutor Carroll would like to acknowledge the Boonton Township Police Department, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the New Jersey State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations for their efforts in this investigation.
If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Sex Crimes / Child Endangerment Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite these accusations, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
