Somerset Patriots 'Mascot' Made, Shared Child Porn, Police Say

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — A 19-year-old Mercer County resident employed as a costumed mascot in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including the Somerset Patriots, has been charged with aggravated sexual assault and other offenses after exchanging child sexual abuse material with a preteen, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton said Tuesday.

Don-Diego Parkman, 19, of Hamilton is charged with one count of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, one count of second-degree sexual assault, one count of first-degree manufacturing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of third-degree possession of CSAM and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

In the past year, he has been employed as a costumed character and mascot by companies including Six Flags Great Adventure, Somerset Baseball Partners, Devils Arena Entertainment, and most recently, Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pa, Hilton said.

Earlier this month, authorities got information from law enforcement in Missouri that a minor had been chatting and exchanging child sexual abuse material at the direction of a man named Don-Diego Parkman, said Hilton.

During the investigation detectives discovered that in addition to exchanging sexually explicit messages and photos with the preteen girl, Parkman was directing her to take photos and videos of herself engaging in sexual conduct to send to him, Hilton said.

Last week, members of the prosecutor’s ICAC Unit and the Hamilton Police SWAT Team, executed a search warrant at Parkman’s Hamilton home, where detectives seized multiple items as evidence, Hilton said.

Parkman was taken into custody without incident.

The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Parkman pending trial.

First-degree crimes carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Hilton has urged anyone with information about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the Internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children to contact the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit at 609-989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at 888-648-6007.

— With reporting by Sarah Salvadore

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