NJ man arrested, charged with distributing sexually explicit images of children

NEWARK, N.J. — A New Jersey man was charged Wednesday with distributing sexually explicit images of children from his home computer. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Boonton Township Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Lucas J. Reinmann, 34, of Boonton, was arrested by HSI special agents at his home. He appeared Wednesday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson in Newark federal court and was released on a $150,000 bond.

According to court documents, on June 8, Reinmann distributed videos and images depicting child pornography on the Internet via peer-to-peer file sharing software. An undercover agent discovered and downloaded the images and videos, and law enforcement traced the person's username and Internet Protocol address back to Reinmann's residence.

HSI special agents, working with the Boonton Police Department and Morris County Prosecutor's Office, executed a search warrant at Reinmann's Boonton home July 15. They discovered computer equipment that contained multiple images of child pornography.

If convicted of the charges, Reinmann faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The minimum penalty is five years in prison.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

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, 1-800-843-5678.

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.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.