South Jersey Man Shared Child Pornography Online: Police

A South Jersey man has been arrested and charged with possession and distribution of child pornography, authorities announced.

Jeffrey Degroff, 58, of Lumberton, was charged with seven counts of endangering the welfare of a child, including five second-degree and two third-degree charges.

Degroff was arrested following the execution of a search warrant at his home on Dec. 14, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said. Detectives seized Degroff’s cell phones, a computer and an external hard drive during the search.

A forensic analysis of the devices conducted by the High-Tech Crimes Unit revealed multiple child pornography files, authorities said.

During the investigation, authorities said they learned that Degroff would use the digital file-sharing program to download pornography for personal use. He would then make it available for others to access from his devices.

Among the material Degroff is charged with possessing and distributing through a digital file-sharing program is a video of an adult man engaged in sexual activity with a prepubescent female, according to authorities.

The investigation began earlier this year after the United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations notified the prosecutor’s office of Degroff’s online activities, according to authorities.

The New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and Lumberton Township Police Department assisted the prosecutor’s office in the investigation.

The case will now be prepared for presentation to a Burlington County Grand Jury to be considered for indictment.

The attached image of Jeffrey Degroff was provided by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.