Former Teacher And Summer Camp Employee Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Production Of Child Pornography

NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for his role in producing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Colin M. Skeele, 33, of Florham Park, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of producing child pornography. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

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

Skeele previously worked as a counselor at a boys’ summer camp in Hardwick, New Jersey, and as a teacher at parochial schools in Boonton, New Jersey, and Stirling, New Jersey.

In 2011, Skeele became Facebook friends with a boy that Skeele met while working as a counselor at a boys’ summer camp. In Facebook messages with the minor, Skeele offered to pay money for the minor to take sexually explicit photographs to send to Skeele. In one instance, Skeele paid the boy approximately $100 to send nude images of himself. Skeele later sent at least one pornographic image of that minor to another minor that had also attended the summer camp.

On multiple occasions between 2012 and 2014, Skeele communicated online with individuals located in the Philippines to purchase live child sexual abuse shows, which Skeele directed and viewed in real time via an online video and chat service. Instant messages obtained during the investigation revealed that Skeele used an online fund transfer service to purchase live sexual abuse videos of young children.

Anyone with information regarding possible victims of this activity is urged to contact the Department of Homeland Security in Newark, New Jersey, at 973-776-5500.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Skeele to 20 years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender and cannot have contact with anyone under age 18.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation that led to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of the U.S. Attorney’s Criminal Division.

Defense counsel: Jay V. Surgent Esq., Parsippany, New Jersey