Gloucester County Man Admits Possessing Child Pornography

CAMDEN, N.J. - A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man admitted possessing images and videos of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Joseph Cooper, 76, of Williamstown, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb on Sept. 13, 2023, to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In October 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cooper's residence and discovered computers containing more than 50 videos and 200 images of child sexual abuse, including depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The computers also contained logs documenting Cooper's participation in internet chatrooms relating to sexual interest in children.

Because Cooper has been convicted previously of interstate transport of child pornography by computer and cruelty and neglect of a child, the charge of possession of child pornography depicting prepubescent children carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Reinhold, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney's Office's Criminal Division in Camden.