James Avallone, a 45-year-old retired U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, was arrested earlier this week following a months-long investigation.
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said members of his Cyber Crimes Unit executed a court-approved search warrant at Avallone’s Morrissee Avenue home on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
They found that Avallone, who is single, “used the Internet to view, download and possess items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children,” the prosecutor said.
The Bergenfield native, who studied film writing and directing in Los Angeles, was charged with possessing child pornography and sent to the Bergen County Jail.
A Superior Court judge in Hackensack released Avallone the next day, with conditions, pending the results of a grand jury hearing.
Musella thanked police from Wallington and Dumont for their assistance, as well as their colleagues from Englewood, Saddle Brook and Lyndhurst who participate in his Cyber Crimes Task Force.
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