A 45-year-old Lawrence Township man has been charged with second-degree possession of child pornography following an investigation into online child exploitation.
An investigation was launched after the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office was alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Kelly Skeel was allegedly uploading child pornography, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said in a statement.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit identified the suspect. Detectives carried out a search warrant at the man’s home Jan. 25. He was detained without incident, officials said.
Detectives seized electronics at his home. Thousands of images and videos of child pornography and erotica were allegedly found on multiple DVDs at the suspect’s home, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said.
The second-degree crime of possession of child pornography carries a prison sentence of five to 10 years, and a fine of up to $150,000, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to detain the man, pending trial in Mercer County Superior Court.
Onofri urged anyone with information about suspected improper contact involving children via the Internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse to call the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit at 609-989-6568, or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line is 609-648-6007.
