Camden County, New Jersey, Man Arraigned On Child Pornography, Sexual Exploitation Charges

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man was arraigned today on an indictment returned last week by a federal grand jury in Camden for allegedly possessing and distributing images of child sex abuse and also for conspiring to sexually exploit two minor children, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Alexander Capasso, 42, of Collingswood, New Jersey, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. Williams and was detained without bail.

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

Capasso was originally charged by complaint in July 2015 by the Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney’s Office with receiving and distributing images of child pornography after having sent several images of child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer. The case was transferred to the District of New Jersey by the filing of a complaint in November 2015. The indictment returned last week charges one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit two minor children, five counts of distribution of images of child pornography and one count of possession of additional images of child pornography. Capasso has been held in federal custody since his July 20, 2015 arrest.

In July 2015, Capasso answered an ad placed by an undercover officer and began a series of communications by which Capasso sought sexually explicit images of children from the officer and sent images containing child pornographic images to the officer. As a result of the communications, federal agents obtained a search warrant for Capasso’s home and seized various electronic media containing numerous additional images and videos of child sexual abuse. Included among those images were photographs and videos of two minor children manufactured by Capasso and his ex-girlfriend in southern New Jersey.

The count of conspiracy to sexually exploit children carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  The distribution of child pornography counts each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison and fine of $250,000 per count. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William Sweeney, and the Washington, D.C., Field Office, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden. 

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel: Gilbert J. Scutti Esq., Voorhees, New Jersey