Former Pennsville Police Officer Charged with Obstructing Child Pornography Investigation
| U.S. Attorney’s Office July 25, 2012 |
CAMDEN, NJ—Special agents of the FBI arrested a former Pennsville, New Jersey Police officer this morning for allegedly impeding and obstructing the FBI’s investigation of his alleged possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Robert Waterman, 31, of Wrightstown, New Jersey, is charging by Indictment with one count of obstruction of justice. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court.
According to the Indictment unsealed today:
On March 4, 2010, the FBI began a criminal investigation of Waterman—then a police officer with the Pennsville, New Jersey Police Department—concerning his alleged possession of child pornography. FBI special agents interviewed Waterman that day, advising him of the nature of the investigation. Waterman then destroyed a computer hard drive with the intent to impede and obstruct the FBI’s investigation.
The obstruction count with which Waterman is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George C. Venizelos in Philadelphia, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Skahill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Camden.
The charge and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.