East Brunswick, N.J., Man Admits Distributing Child Sex Abuse Images From His Home Computer

NEWARK, N.J. - An East Brunswick, New Jersey, man admitted today to sharing images of child sexual abuse from his home computer, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Armia Alber, 28, entered his guilty plea today before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with distributing images of child pornography over the Internet. Alber was initially arrested in July 2013.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made during Alber’s guilty plea proceeding:

Alber admitted that between March and July 2013, he was a member of an online peer-to-peer file sharing network and had more than 600 images or videos of children being sexually abused. Alber also admitted he made images and videos of child pornography available for other members to download from his “shared” folder. During this period, a law enforcement agent successfully downloaded multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse from Alber’s computer.

On July 25, 2013, federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Alber’s residence. The agents recovered two computer hard drives, both of which contained numerous images and videos of child pornography.

As part of his guilty plea, Alber agreed to forfeit the computers and computer accessories he used to commit the offense. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The distribution of child pornography count to which Alber pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Dec. 16, 2014.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew M. McLees, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the East Brunswick Police Department for their roles in the search and arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Hafetz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.

14-299                                                        

Defense counsel: Assistant Federal Public Defender Carol Gillen Esq., Newark

Alber, Armia Information