Mercer Man Charged With Possession, Distribution Of Child Porn

Princeton NJ

03 March, 2022

11:41 AM

Description

MERCER COUNTY, NJ – A Mercer County man was arrested and charged with possession and distribution of child porn among other offenses, Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri said on Thursday. Kevin Pearsall, 30, of Trenton was charged with second-degree distribution of child pornography, second-degree possession with the intent to distribute child pornography, and third-degree possession of child pornography. Detectives with the prosecutor's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit recently received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual in Mercer County was distributing child pornography, Onofri said. Pearsall was identified as a subject and on Feb. 11 detectives detained Pearsall without incident at the Hamilton Walmart where he worked, Onofri said. Authorities found 30 videos depicting child pornography on his cell phone, including one that Pearsall shared with another person, Onofri said. They found that Pearsall and the other individual exchanged child pornography as well as a sexually explicit conversation regarding sexual abuse and exploitation of children, Onofri said. "Additionally, evidence was obtained that Pearsall actively promoted and directed the sexual assault and abuse of a five-year-old child during the conversation with this other individual," Onofri said. The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office filed additional charges against Pearsall, including two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault as an accomplice, second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child as an accomplice. The investigation of the individual Pearsall spoke with is active and ongoing. Last week, a hearing was held in Mercer County Superior Court and Judge Robert W. Bingham II granted the prosecutor's office motion to detain Pearsall pending trial. Onofri urged anyone with information about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children to please contact his Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit at 609-989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at 888-648-6007. Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email [email protected] Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news