Union Beach Man Admits To Downloading Child Porn

UNION BEACH, NJ — A Union Beach man who police say set up his neighbor's WiFi network and then used it — without their knowledge — to download child porn pleaded guilty Monday, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni.

Henry Cicerale, 60, of Park Avenue in Union Beach, plead guilty on Monday March 18 to distribution of child pornography and illegal possession of a handgun. This guilty plea comes after a nearly 11-month-long investigation into online child pornography activities that were conducted using a neighbor’s internet account, but ultimately led investigators to Cicerale.

A subsequent investigation revealed that Cicerale had previously set-up a wireless internet network at the neighbor’s home and was using that network to access, download and distribute child pornography. A forensic review of Cicerale’s computers and other digital media devices uncovered hundreds of items of child pornography, prosecutors said.

After detectives obtained a search warrant for the child porn, a search of his Union Beach home also revealed a handgun which Cicerale was prohibited from having due to his prior criminal record.

Cicerale is scheduled to return for sentencing before Judge Bauman on June 21. He is facing up to 10 years in prison with a five-year period of parole ineligibility. He will be subject to Megan’s Law when he is released.

He was represented by Michael Pappa, Esq., of Hazlet.