Man Admits To Traveling To NJ, Filming Sex Abuse Of 12-Year-Old

NEWARK, NJ — A New Hampshire man admitted in federal court to traveling to New Jersey to sexually abuse a 12-year-old he met online and filming the sexual acts, authorities announced.

Scott Wilkinson, 38, of Concord, New Hampshire pleaded guilty to one count each of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger and U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said.

Wilkinson met the child online and had been chatting with them for about a year before deciding to meet them in person, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

He traveled to New Jersey in April 2022, where he sexually abused the child and filmed himself engaging in sexual acts with the 12-year-old on his cell phone, authorities said.

Other images and videos of child sexual abuse were found on Wilkinson's phone as well, officials said.

For producing child pornography, Wilkinson faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. Possessing child pornography is a maximum of 10 years in prison, or a maximum of 20 years if the court finds that the material contained a child under 12-years-old.

Wilkinson also faces up to $250,000 in fines on each count.

Egg Harbor Township police assisted with the investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.