Princeton Volunteer Firefighter Charged With Distributing Child Sex Abuse Material

PRINCETON, NJ — A 30-year-old Princeton man was taken into custody on Tuesday on charges of uploading child sex abuse material, County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey said.

Austin Brock was taken into custody without incident, after detectives executed a search warrant at his Princeton home.

The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provided information that someone in Mercer County was uploading material depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children, Marbrey said.

Working with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit identified Brock as a suspect and obtained the search warrant. The search resulted in the seizure of items considered to have evidentiary value.

Brock faces charges of second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse material, second-degree possession with intent to distribute child sexual abuse material, and third-degree possession of sexual abuse material.

Second-degree crimes carry sentences of five to ten years in state prison and fines up to $150,000, while third-degree crimes carry three to five years in prison and fines up to $15,000.

Brock is employed at Life Time Fitness in Plainsboro and volunteers as a firefighter with the Princeton Fire Department, Marbrey said.

Anyone with information about suspected improper contact with children online or possible exploitation to contact the ICAC Unit at (609) 989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at (888) 648-6007.

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