Morris County, N.J., Man Sentenced To 41 Months In Prison For Possession Of Child Pornography

TRENTON, N.J. – A Morris County, N.J., man was sentenced today to 41months in prison for possessing child pornography on two laptop computers at his residence, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Steve Goni, 37, of Mine Hill, N.J., previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with possession of child pornography. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

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

In June 2011, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant for Goni’s residence. They determined that Goni’s laptop computers contained multiple images of child pornography, which appeared to have been downloaded from the Internet. Goni possessed more than 600 images and multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. When interviewed by law enforcement, Goni admitted accessing websites offering child pornography, observing child pornography on those websites, and admitted that child pornography was downloaded onto his computer.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp also sentenced Goni to five years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $4,000 in restitution to victims of his offense. Goni also must register as a sex offender.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew M. McLees in Newark, for the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirley U. Emehelu of the U.S. Attorney’s Office criminal division in Newark.

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Defense counsel: John C. Whipple Esq., Chatham, N.J.