Seven Burlington County residents have been arrested since mid-July on charges related to the possession and distribution of child pornography, which is now more commonly referred to as child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Locally, Dexter Manansala, 55, of Bordentown Township, was charged on Aug. 6 with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child (two second degree and one third degree).
He is accused of using Facebook to distribute child sexual abuse material, according to information provided by Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina on Aug. 12.
The lead investigator was BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit Sgt. Dave Kohler.
Over a 12-month period ending in May, 46 people were arrested on CSAM-related charges as part of the BCPO’s Operation Safe Quarantine, which pursued those engaged in the online exploitation of children, according to the statement.
Coffina noted that the charges announced on Aug. 12 were not part of any special operation.
“These arrests were the result of investigators doing their jobs day in, day out,” Coffina said in the statement. “The pervasiveness of this criminal behavior is sickening and concerning, and catching these offenders remains a priority for our office and our law enforcement partners.”
The investigations involved the assistance of the Bordentown Township Police Department, the City of Burlington Police Department, the Evesham Township Police Department, the Maple Shade Police Department, the Medford Township Police Department, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and United States Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill Office.
The cases are being prepared for presentation to a grand jury by Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Weiler.
The Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit and HSI – Cherry Hill are members of the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The BCPO also belongs to the New Jersey State Police Cyber Terrorism Task Force.