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James T. Hess, 49, of Landing, was charged with second- and third-degree child endangerment for distribution and possession of child sexual abuse materials, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said in a joint release.
Investigators — tipped off by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children — say Hess viewed and uploaded the videos on the Internet-based chat app Kik while at the Netcong Volunteer Fire Department, where he is a captain. He also works for the New Jersey Fireman’s Home.
Additional images were found on an electronic device during the investigation, Carroll added.
Hess was taken into custody on Wednesday, Dec. 21, and released in accordance with bail reform. His pretrial release conditions include monitoring and limited Internet usage.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to call the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Sex Crimes / Child Endangerment Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200.
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