Union County Teacher Admits To Child Porn Charges

NEWARK, NJ — A former history teacher at a charter school in Plainfield admitted to receiving and possessing suggestive photos of a child.

Jack Wilder, 27 of Somerville, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in Newark federal court, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey says.

Around July 23, 2024, law enforcement carried out a search of Wilder's phone at an airport after he landed in New York following an international trip. They were able to find pictures and videos of minors that were of a sexually suggestive nature. A week after his phone was confiscated, Wilder got a new phone and knowingly received more images and videos of child pornography until around May 1, authorities say.

As of May 2, he was also charged with enticement of a minor for which he faced a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison with a maximum of life imprisonment and $250,000 fine. Monday's guilty plea announcement did not include an update on those charges.

Now, Wilder faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years with a $250,000 fine for the charge of receipt of child pornography. Under the charge for possession of child pornography, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2026.

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