East Brunswick Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

Joseph R. Buckelew III, 20, of East Brunswick, admitted today to storing a collection of images on his home computer of children being sexually abused, sometimes violently, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Buckelew, a former employee of the East Brunswick Public Library, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of child pornography.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made during Buckelew’s guilty plea proceeding, Buckelew admitted that on Aug. 3, 2010, he possessed more than 600 images of child pornography on a computer at his residence. Buckelew acknowledged that the images included depictions of children who were clearly minors, as well as portrayals of sadistic conduct or other depictions of violence to children.

As part of his guilty plea, Buckelew agreed to forfeit the computers that he used to commit the offense. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, the Newark Cyber Crime Task Force, and the New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, as well as the East Brunswick Police Department with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee M. Cortes Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.