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Gregory J. Barger, 38, of Morrisville, PA, was originally one of 21 accused predators arrested by undercover investigators with the New Jersey attorney general's and Mercer County (NJ) prosecutor's offices in what became known as "Operation Risky Business" in the spring of 2022.
It came to light during that probe, however, that Barger had flown to the United Kingdom, where he recorded video and still images on his phone of him having sex with a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.
Through instant messages, the self-employed painter "induced, enticed, and coerced the minor victim" into having sex, the U.S. attorney said.
So agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark took the case.
A federal grand jury in Trenton subsequently indicted Barger on charges of producing videos and images of child sexual abuse and coercing/enticing a minor.
A U.S. District Court judge then ordered him held until trial.
Records show Barger got five years probation in Montgomery County (PA) in 2012 in exchange for a guilty plea to indecent assault on a pre-teen.
As a result, he's looking at considerable time behind bars even if he takes a deal in the federal case. Barger would also have to serve at least 85% of that term because there's no parole in the federal prison system.
Sellinger credited HSI special agents and Mercer County prosecutor's detectives with the investigation leading to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of his Criminal Division in Trenton is handling the case.
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