TRENTON
– Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa
and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor
announced that a Rutgers University instructor
has been arrested on charges that he used
a computer in his university office to share
hundreds of videos of child pornography over
the Internet.
According
to Director Taylor, Gavin Swiatek, 49, a
biochemistry instructor on the Rutgers University
Cook Campus in New Brunswick, was arrested
late yesterday afternoon at his home in
Hillsborough by members of the New Jersey
State Police. He was charged with second-degree
distribution of child pornography and fourth-degree
possession of child pornography. Swiatek
was lodged in the Middlesex County Jail
with bail set at $50,000. He was charged
as a result of an investigation by the New
Jersey State Police Digital Technology Investigations
Unit (DTIU) and the Division of Criminal
Justice Computer Analysis & Technology
Unit.
“Those
who view and distribute child pornography
contribute to the tragic exploitation of
children, because they fuel the demand that
drives suppliers to produce these abhorrent
materials,” said Attorney General
Chiesa. “The charges against this
individual are very serious.”
“We
want to send a powerful deterrent message
to anyone who would consider linking themselves
into the vile network of suppliers and users
of child pornography,” said Director
Taylor. “They will find themselves
behind bars like this man. We will continue
to partner with the New Jersey State Police
to aggressively investigate and prosecute
these cases.”
“Our
detectives proactively hunt for people trading
images of child porn. Some would believe
that what they view in private will never
become public, but when it comes to victimizing
children, we will work to expose every illegal
act,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent
of the New Jersey State Police.
The
New Jersey State Police DTIU determined
that a computer user on the Rutgers University
campus was using peer-to-peer file sharing
technology to make child pornography readily
available to Internet users worldwide. The
State Police, who were assisted by the Rutgers
University Police Department and Rutgers
Office of Information Technology, traced
the source of the child pornography to Swiatek's
office at Rutgers University. Swiatek allegedly
shared hundreds of files containing child
pornography, mostly videos, using the peer-to-peer
technology. State Police detectives seized
Swiatek's university computer from his office.
Investigators also executed a search warrant
and seized a laptop computer and digital
media from Swiatek and from his home.
The
investigation was led by Detective Paul
Sciortino of the New Jersey State Police
Digital Technology Investigations Unit and
Deputy Attorney General Kenneth R. Sharpe
of the Division of Criminal Justice Computer
Analysis & Technology Unit. Attorney
General Chiesa thanked the Rutgers University
Police Department and Rutgers Office of
Information Technology for their valuable
assistance.
Second-degree
crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years
in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000,
while fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 18 months in prison and a fine
of $10,000.
The
charges in the complaint against Swiatek
are merely accusations and he is presumed
innocent until proven guilty. Because the
charges are indictable offenses, they will
be presented to a grand jury for potential
indictment.
If
you have information about the distribution
of child pornography on the Internet or
suspect improper contact by unknown persons
communicating with children via the Internet
or possible exploitation or sexual abuse
of children, please contact the New Jersey
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
Tipline at 1-888-648-6007.