2 Newark Children ‘Sexually Exploited’ By Missouri Man: Prosecutors

NEWARK, NJ — A Missouri resident has been accused of “sexually exploiting” two children in New Jersey via the internet, authorities announced Tuesday.

John Carpenter, 41, of Lebanon, Missouri, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, sexual assault, manufacturing child exploitation material and subjecting two young children to sexual abuse, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors said the charges arose out of an investigation that started in South Carolina, where authorities discovered videos of two young girls engaged in sexual acts may have been sent from Newark.

Because of the local connection, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office became involved in December 2021, and identified the children as two Newark sisters who are 9 and 11-years-old.

Carpenter is facing federal child pornography charges and is being held without bond in Missouri, prosecutors said.

An investigation is ongoing, authorities said.

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com