On June 3, Michael Bryk, 28, of Howell, was arrested by detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and charged with one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of fourth-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
According to a press release, the charges result from an investigation conducted by the prosecutor’s office. The investigation revealed that Bryk possessed videos of child pornography and that he also distributed images of child pornography.
T he prosecutor’s office began the investigation
after a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
In September 2009, NCMEC received information that images depicting child pornography had been uploaded to a social networking site from a computer in Monmouth County.
The ensuing investigation conducted by the prosecutor’s office revealed that the images originated from a computer at Bryk’s residence, according to the press release.
The investigation led to a lawful search of Bryk’s home on June 3. The search resulted in the lawful seizure of a computer as well as related computer storage media. A preliminary search of these items revealed the presence of videos of child pornography on an SD storage card, according to the press release.
Bryk is being held at the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, in lieu of $80,000 bail, which was set by Howell Municipal Court Presiding Judge Allen S. Kaplan.
Conditions of Bryk’s bail prohibit Bryk from using the Internet and from having contact with children who are under 18 years old.
Under New Jersey law, the unlawful possession and distribution of images of child pornography is prohibited by the endangering the welfare of a child statute. If the child pornography is merely unlawfully possessed, the endangering the welfare of a child charge is a fourth-degree crime. If the child pornography is unlawfully distributed, the charge is a second degree crime. If convicted of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, Bryk faces a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to a 10-year state prison term.
If convicted of fourth-degree endangering the welfare of a child, Bryk faces a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to an 18-month term of imprisonment.