Wayne Man Admits to Distributing Videos of Child Sexual Abuse, Authorities Say

A Wayne man is facing up to 20 years in prison after admitting Thursday that he distributed photos and videos of a minor child being sexually abused, NJ District Attorney Paul Fishman announced in a release Thursday.

According to Fishman, Manuel Fernandez, 33, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with distributing child pornography over the Internet.

Authorities say that Fernandez was part of a file-sharing network from March 2011 to January 2012 where he shared the images and videos. Undercover police downloaded images and videos from Fernandez as part of their investigation, Fishman said. Child pornography was also found on his seized computer tower and hard drive, Fishman said.

Fernandez has been in police custody since his arrest in 2012, authorities said. He now faces five to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and must register as a sex offender, Fishman said.

Fernandez’s sentencing is set for August 19.