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Brian J. Crann, 37, who's been with the military more than a decade, "transmitted a video and two images of child sexual abuse to another individual using an account on an instant messaging mobile application" this past weekend, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said.
Crann "also transmitted a non-pornographic image of himself with a minor who appeared to be the same victim depicted in the images and video of child sexual abuse," Sellinger said.
A Connecticut native, Crann has had a distinguished career, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He began as a cavalry scout and was promoted two years later to team leader with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, it says.
Crann was then an airborne brigade combat team squad leader for three years in Germany before becoming a senior squad leader, and then a platoon sergeant, with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Carson, CO, according to his profile.
He lives at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County, where he began as a cavalry observer coach/trainer two years ago.
Federal investigators searched Crann on Saturday and seized an Android smartphone that contained a copy of the non-pornographic image of him with the minor, Sellinger said. The image had been sent via an app from the same account that sent the child porn, he said.
A federal magistrate judge in Trenton ordered Crann held pending further court action on a charge of distributing child pornography.
Sellinger, meanwhile, credited special agents of the FBI Newark Field Office Crimes Against Children Squad and the Fort Dix Army CID Resident Unit with the investigation leading to the arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of his Criminal Division in Trenton is handling the prosecution, Sellinger said.
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