Barnegat Man Admits Sharing 1,000+ Child Sex Abuse Images

BARNEGAT, NJ — A man admitted to accessing and sharing more than 1,000 images of child sexual abuse from his Barnegat home, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Fabian Lugo-Sanchez, 28, pleaded guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

He faces 10 years in New Jersey State Prison with a 10-year period of parole ineligibility.

The investigation was launched after the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual was sending/receiving images of child pornography from the internet, Billhimer said.

The IP address that the images were being received and sent from was found to be associated with a Barnegat home, Billhimer said. Investigation found that Lugo-Sanchez was sending and receiving the images through the Kik messenger app. A search of his Kik accounts discovered more than 1,000 items of child sexual abuse material, Billhimer said.

On Feb. 5, Lugo-Sanchez turned himself in with his attorney, Billhimer said. He was taken to Ocean County Jail and released due to bail reform.