40°
Edward A. Torres, 23, tried destroying the evidence during a court-approved raid of his Union Place apartment off Harding Avenue, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
Detectives from his Cyber Crimes Unit had learned that Torres “used the Internet to view, download, possess, and distribute items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children,” the prosecutor said.
He got children to produce some of those images during live, sexually explicit one-on-one chats, Musella added.
Torres “instructed children to expose their naked intimate body parts in exchange for payment and took screenshots of the encounters,” the prosecutor said.
He also had them send similar videos and photos, Musella said.
Torres has remained in the Bergen County Jail since his arrest on Thursday, May 18.
He's charged with first-degree production of child pornography, as well as lesser-degree counts of possessing and distributing the materials, child endangerment, debauching the morals of a child and hindering his arrest.
The investigation isn’t over, however.
Musella asked that any parent or guardian notify his detectives immediately if their children have received “inappropriate communications” from two specific social media accounts:
- defaultfartface
- RubyWizard11093#0755
You can remain anonymous, he said, by calling the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line at (201) 226-5532.
Musella thanked North Arlington police for their assistance, as well as the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the Englewood, Paramus and Lyndhurst police departments, all of whom participate in his Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Ridgewood and receive free news updates.
