Joseph Suarez
On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested a West New York man following an investigation into child sex abuse material being shared through social media.
Joseph Suarez, 31, is charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child/Facilitating Child Sex Abuse Material in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a crime of the first degree; Endangering the Welfare of a Child/Distribution of Child Sex Abuse Material in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(a)(i), a crime of the second degree; and Endangering the Welfare of a Child/Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(b), a crime of the second degree. He was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance. The State has filed a detention motion in this matter.
On January 10, 2023, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information that child sex abuse material was being created and shared through the social media platform Discord. The investigation revealed Joseph Suarez communicated with a 13-year-old boy out of state and instructed him to provide images and/or videos of himself committing sex acts on a 4-year-old girl. Following a court authorized search of Joseph Suarez’s residence, over 1,000 files of child sex abuse material were seized. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may follow.
Prosecutor Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Special Victims Unit, In Court Unit, Narcotics Task Force, Cyber Crimes Unit, and Crime Scene Unit, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and the West New York Police Department for assisting with the investigation and arrest. Anyone wishing to report a sex crime should call the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) at 201-915-1234. The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).