18-Year-Old Hamilton Man, & Employed As A Counselor At The YMCA, Charged With Child Pornography Offenses
Friday, August 30, 2024, 6:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
HAMILTON, NJ.- On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, following an investigation into the distribution of child pornography, an 18-year-old Hamilton, New Jersey man, who is employed at the Hamilton YMCA as a counselor, was taken into custody and jailed after being charged with child sexual abuse material offenses.
According to Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton, Gerald Keener, 18, of Hamilton, was formally charged with one count of second-degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Child Pornography; and one count of third-degree Possession of Child Pornography.
Keener was processed on the charges and was remanded to the Mercer County Correctional Center pending future court proceedings in Mercer County Superior Court in Trenton, New Jersey. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a motion to detain Keener pending trial.
Investigation
The charges stem from an investigation that began when Detectives of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual in the Mercer County area was utilizing the internet to distribute nude and or sexual explicit digital images of children.
Following receiving the information, Detectives initiated an investigation. During the investigation, Detectives tracked the internet activity to a Hamilton, New Jersey residence, where Keener resided. He was later identified as the suspect.
On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, Detectives of the Mercer County Internet Crimes Against Children Task and the Hamilton Police Department’s SWAT Team executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Hamilton residence where Keener resided. During the search, Detectives seized numerous items that contained child sexual abuse material.
Investigation Continues
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this investigation or information regarding Keener’s online activities is asked to contact the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at (609) 989-6568 or mcposvu@mercercounty.org. All calls will be kept confidential.
If convicted on the charges, Keener will face up to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison and, upon release, will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law registration requirements and subject to parole supervision for life.
“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
