Bergen County, New Jersey, Man Charged with Receiving Child Pornography

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Justin Madia, 60, of Hillsdale, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to appear today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

As early as June 9, 2018, Madia used an Internet based peer-to-peer network to request video files containing images of child pornography. On Jan. 31, 2019, law enforcement searched Madia’s residence and seized a computer and multiple electronic storage devices belonging to him. The electronic storage devices contained the peer-to-peer network software and multiple images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused. 

The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum potential penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agents in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark and Michael T. Harpster in Philadelphia; the Hillsdale Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Francaviglia; the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit, under the direction Acting Prosecutor Dennis Calo; and the N.J. Regional Computer Forensic Lab, under the direction of Director Steven Newman, with the investigation leading to the charge.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophie Reiter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Public Protection Unit in Newark.

The charge and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.