Man Who Sent Himself Child Pornography Videos Pleads Guilty In Passaic Co. Court

HAWTHORNE, NJ — A Hawthorne man has admitted to transporting and possessing videos and images of child pornography on an encrypted file storage platform, federal officials said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey announced that 50-year-old Edward M. O'Hagan pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to one count of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

The charges stem from a Jan. 2023 incident, where officials said O’Hagan used one of his email accounts to send video files with images of child sexual abuse to himself. These files included videos depicting children as young as four to six years old, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

O’Hagan also used two email addresses to create accounts on an encrypted file storage platform that was used to upload or create files containing images of the child abuse, both of which were associated with his IP address, Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Officials arrested him after searching his apartment.

The transportation of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.