New Jersey man indicted for distributing child pornography

NEWARK, N.J. — A New Jersey man was indicted Wednesday for allegedly possessing and distributing child pornography.

This indictment resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

Donald Haring, 60, of Long Branch, was charged with two counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.

According to court records, in June 2014, an undercover law enforcement agent downloaded files containing child sexual abuse from Haring’s computer via a peer-to-peer file sharing network. Haring was sharing more than 100 files of child sexual abuse.

In October 2014, Haring applied to an online child pornography forum. The forum was covertly operated by law enforcement to identify individuals who trade in child pornography. Haring uploaded eight images of child sexual abuse to the online forum.

In December 2014, HSI special agents executed a federal search warrant at Haring’s home. A forensic examination of one of the devices seized from the home revealed more than 4,600 images and 75 movies of child sexual abuse.

If convicted Haring faces a prison term of five to 20 years for each count of distribution of child pornography and a fine of $250,000.  He also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the count of possession of child pornography.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.