Ocean County, NJ, Man Charged With Possession, Distribution of Child Porn

A man from Ocean County has been arrested on child porn-related charges.

According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer, 42-year-old Joseph D. Tuzzio, Jr., of Jackson Township, has been charged with possession of child pornography and three counts of distribution of child pornography.

Billhimer says the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force detected that an individual was uploading images of child pornography to the internet using the Kik app.

An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit identified a Kik Messenger user with a Jackson Township address as the individual uploading the images of child pornography; that individual was ultimately identified as Tuzzio.

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On October 27th, detectives executed a search warrant at Tuzzio's home in Jackson Township and they seized two cell phones and a laptop computer.

A forensic examination of the electronic devices by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit led to the discovery of more than 500 images of Child Pornography on the laptop. Additionally, Detectives issued a Communication Data Warrant to KIK for Tuzzio’s most recently utilized KIK subscriber account. KIK provided logs showing Tuzzio’s account as both receiving and distributing videos of child pornography. The IP address associated with the child pornography activity was assigned to Tuzzio’s place of employment in Jackson.

On Monday, Tuzzio, with his attorney, surrendered at Jackson Township Police Headquarters where he was processed and taken to the Ocean County Jail before being released per terms of the state's bail reform guidelines.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.