Former Teacher From Cranford Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Charges

A 28-year-old Ocean Township High School music teacher from Union County plead guilty in court today after he attempted to solicit under-aged girls to send him obscene material of themselves via webcam, photo, or video online.

Arthur N. Ernst III, of Cranford, role-played as a teenage boy and sent obscene images of young men to girls under the age of 16, three of which were his choir members, in an attempt to persuade them to expose themselves to him.

Ernest used a combination of contact information provided to him as a teacher, AIM, and Skype screen names to target his victims.

These incidents occurred from late 2010 to early 2011 and despite repeated efforts, neither of the girls exposed themselves to the music teacher, according to a press release from the New Jersey Attorney General’s office.

An investigation into Ernest began when New Jersey State Police were referred the case by the Parker Police Department in Colorado.

In August 2010, Ernest had convinced a 12-year-old Colorado girl to undress and expose her breasts and genitals in an iphone video after he sent her pornographic images and links to videos on a pornographic website to encourage her, the release said.

After his arrest on April 21, 2011, it was discovered through forensic examination of both computers seized from his home that Ernst has engaged in dozens of sexually explicit exchanges with minors in the same manner and possessed numerous images of child pornography.

He was immediately terminated from his position at Ocean Township High School after his arrest.

Ernest has since plead guilty to:

• second-degree manufacturing child pornography
• third-degree impairing or debauching the morals of a child under 16
• and third-degree promoting obscene material to a person under 18.

Under his plea agreement, the state will recommend that Ernest:

• be sentenced to eight years in state prison, including three years of parole ineligibility.
• register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and will face parole supervision for life.
• surrender his state teaching certificate and is permanently barred from public employment.

State officials responded to the crimes committed by Ernest in the press release by stating:

• “We count on teachers to be guardians of our students, but Ernst turned that expectation on its head, using the anonymity of the Internet to sexually stalk girls he taught in the school choir, as well as numerous other underage girls,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “This type of predatory behavior against children must be met with the harshest punishment.”

• “Sexual predators like Ernst are a parent’s worst nightmare,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “This case highlights the dangers of the Internet and reminds parents to teach their children that people they encounter online are not always who they seem to be.”

• “Arthur Ernst betrayed his community and his profession when he chose to use the Internet to deceive and exploit children for his own illicit, carnal behavior,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “This unfortunate situation is a reminder for parents to closely monitor how their children use the Internet.”

Acting Attorney General Hoffman and Director Honig urged anyone who suspects improper contact by persons communicating with children on the Internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children to contact the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Tipline at 888-648-6007.