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Agents began investigating Joseph J. Punderson, 31, of Island Heights after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said.
Tracing emails and social media accounts, they learned that Punderson “received and possessed images and videos of child sexual abuse downloaded from the Internet,” Carpenito said.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni ordered Punderson held without bail on charges of receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse during a Wednesday afternoon teleconference.
Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlantic City, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Island Heights Police Department.
Handling the case for the government is Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of Carpenito’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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