Child Porn Distribution Charge Filed Against Morris Co. Man: Officials

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Boonton man is facing charges after police say they found at least 38 videos and 351 images of child sexual abuse at his township home.

William Harbeson, 82, of Boonton, was charged by complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography on Wednesday, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

Between May 2022 and September 2022, Harbeson is accused of distributing videos of child sexual abuse via a publicly accessible online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program.

Harbeson's arrest was prompted after an undercover police officer conducted online sessions using the P2P program, during which a user shared hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse from an IP address traced to Harbeson’s address.

According to Sellinger, in a search of Harbeson’s house, law enforcement officers recovered at least 38 videos and 351 images of child sexual abuse on Harbeson’s hard drive.

Harbeson appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court on Nov. 22, 2022, and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond, police said.

The charge of distributing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, a maximum prison sentence of twenty years and a fine of $250,000.