Edison Man Faces Multiple Charges After Parents Find Disturbing Messages On Child's Phone

EDISON, NJ – A 23-year-old Edison man has been charged with aggravated sexual assault and other offenses against a 6-year-old girl through social media and text messaging, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice said.

Shakem T. Holmes is charged with: endangering the welfare of a child (manufacturing child sexual exploitation/abuse material) and aggravated sexual assault (both 1st degree); attempted sexual assault and sexual assault (both 2nd degree); and endangering the welfare of a child (possession of child sexual exploitation/abuse material), endangering the welfare of a child (impairing/debauching the morals of a child) and obscenity to a minor (all 3rd degree).

He appeared in court on Oct. 3, and was detained following a joint investigation between Illinois law enforcement and New Jersey State Police that began when the victim's parents discovered disturbing messages on their daughter's phone.

According to investigators, the case began on March 30, when the child was chatting with someone on a popular social media platform. The conversation moved to text messaging using a phone number later traced to Holmes. Authorities said Holmes sent the child several explicit videos of adult women and instructed her to replicate the sexual acts while recording herself and sending the videos to him.

The child’s parents discovered the messages and immediately contacted the East Peoria Police Department in Illinois. After preliminary investigation, East Peoria detectives determined the man was living in New Jersey and referred the case to the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force on July 23.

Following an urgent investigation, members of the New Jersey State Police ICAC Unit executed a search warrant at a hotel where Holmes was staying and arrested him, Platkin’s office said. Investigators seized his phone, tablet computer, and laptop computer.

"The age of the victim in this case and the conduct alleged are extremely disturbing," Platkin said. "Excellent investigative work in Illinois and by our own Division of Criminal Justice prosecutors and New Jersey State Police led to the arrest of this defendant, who now faces charges that, if proven in court, could keep him in prison for many years."

"The targeting of young children for sexual crimes is abhorrent, and the images of these acts can exist long after the alleged crimes are committed," said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. "The Division of Criminal Justice is committed to actively investigating and prosecuting this kind of criminal activity."

Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, emphasized the importance of protecting children. "The charges in this case are both disturbing and heartbreaking, but thanks to the exceptional collaboration between our detectives and our law enforcement partners, this individual has been safely removed from our communities," Callahan said.

If convicted, Holmes faces significant prison time. First-degree crimes carry sentences of 10 to 20 years in state prison and fines up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry five to 10 years and fines up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry three to five years and fines up to $15,000.

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