Brick Man Admits Sending Nudes To Detective Posing As Teen Girl

BRICK, NJ — A Brick Township man has pleaded guilty to sending sexually explicit photos and videos to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Friday.

Christian M. Kohl, 47, pleaded guilty Wednesday to distribution of child sexual abuse material before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Kohl was arrested Aug. 15, 2024, following an investigation that began in May 2024 where a detective posing as a 14-year-old girl engaged in conversations on the Kik messenger service with Kohl, who claimed to be 38 years old, authorities said.

During the conversations Kohl sent numerous nude photos and videos of himself on multiple occasions, in spite of the detective telling Kohl that "she" was only 14 years old, the prosecutor's office said.

Authorities ultimately identified the man as Kohl, and executed a search warrant at his home on Aug. 15, 2024 and seized his phone. An initial forensic examination of the phone turned up several items of child pornography, authorities said.

Further investigation showed he had sent or shared more than 25 pieces of child pornography to various people using Kik, the prosecutor's office said.

He was taken to the Ocean County Jail and later released under New Jersey Bail Reform rules, authorities said.

Kohl is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29 by Ryan, with the prosecutor's office seeking five years in state prison with five years of parole ineligibility, along with parole supervision for life. Kohl will be required to register as a Megan's Law offender, the prosecutor's office said.