Steven Stone (Photo: Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office)
County and federal law enforcement raided the home of a 27-year-old Brick man and arrested him on child pornography charges this week, officials said.
Steven Stone, 27, of Gloucester Drive, was arrested Thursday after an early-morning raid on his home by members of Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and a team from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The investigation and subsequent arrest was the result of a pro-active “Cyber Child Pornography Drag Net” cast by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s High Tech Crime Unit, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.
As a result of the search, a forensic examination revealed that Stone was actively downloading and sharing images and movies of prepubescent children engaged in sexual act, Della Fave said.
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As detectives were making entry into the residence, at 930 Gloucester Drive, Stone attempted to destroy evidence by tearing out the hard drive out of the computer and bending it in half, said Della Fave.
“Despite these efforts the OCPO forensic examiners were able to obtain evidence supporting the … charges,” he said.
Stone was charged with one count of second degree distribution of child pornography and one count of third degree possession of child pornography. Bail was set at $100,000 cash by the Superior Court Judge M. Blaney. Stone was transported to the Ocean County Jail where he was lodged in lieu of bail.
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