James Christopher Buckley, 57, of Gilbertsville, PA, was arrested Tuesday, Feb. 20, said the Cape May Prosecutor's Office.
Investigators said they received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about possible child sexual exploitation material (CSAM) being possessed and distributed by an iCloud account that was later linked to Buckley.
That incident occurred at the deputy's vacation home in Wildwood, NJ, authorities alleged.
He was charged with second and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and is being held at the Cape May Correctional Facility, the Prosecutor's Office said. If convicted on both counts, Buckley could face a combined 8 to 15 years in prison, they added.
In a statement, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said Buckley was an employee of 10 years:
On February 20, 2024, we were informed that Deputy Buckley was charged with child pornography-related offenses by authorities in Cape May County, New Jersey.As an agency committed to upholding the law and maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability, we take these allegations extremely seriously.Per office policy, Deputy Buckley has been immediately suspended pending the resolution of the investigation. The MCSO is cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities and conducting a requisite internal review.The conduct outlined in these charges is antithetical to the values and principles of our agency and an affront to the public’s trust. We remain steadfast in our commitment to serving and protecting the residents of Montgomery County.We will not be providing further statements at this time as this is an ongoing investigation.
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