South Jersey Man Sent Young Girls Lewd Photos, Videos: AG

A registered sex offender from South Jersey has been arrested and charged with sending lewd pictures and a lewd video of himself to underage girls and an undercover detective he thought was a 13-year-old girl, authorities announced.

Joseph M. Graber III, 48, of Marlton, was arrested at his home by members of the New Jersey State Parole Board, New Jersey State Police, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Evesham Township Police Department on Tuesday, authorities said.

He was arrested as detectives searched his homes in Marlton and Medford, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced. The Medford Township Police Department assisted in the execution of a search warrant at the Medford home.

A preview of the contents of the devices seized from his home showed that Graber was sending sexually explicit photos and/or video of himself to underage girls, authorities said. The investigation is ongoing and full forensic examinations of the devices will be conducted.

Graber was charged with third-degree endangering the welfare of a child (impairing or debauching the morals of a child), third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child (impairing or debauching the morals of a child) and third-degree attempted showing obscene materials to a person under 18. Graber is being prosecuted by the Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Computer Crimes Bureau.

A detective of the New Jersey State Police Digital Technology Investigation Unit (DTIU) was monitoring a children’s chatroom when she received private messages from an individual claiming to be a 16-year-old male, authorities said. When contacted, the detective told him she was 13.

The man then started asking her explicit questions, and if she wanted to see his genitals, authorities said. He then sent her a picture of his genitals. The detective traced the screen name to an IP address connected to Graber, who was identified as a Tier 2 registered sex offender subject to parole supervision for life under Megan’s Law.

In 2011, he pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child for sending a sexually explicit photo to another detective, who in that case was posing as a 12-year-old girl. At that point, the State Parole Board joined the investigation. This went on for another month, with Graber sending the detective photos of himself and his genitals and a video of himself masturbating, authorities said.

He also asked the detective to send him “sexy videos” using a video chat app, according to authorities.

Following his arrest, Graber is being held in the Burlington County Jail on a parole detainer.

The attached image of Joseph M. Graber III was provided by the Attorney General’s Office