NJ Firefighter Posed As Minor To Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material: Prosecutor

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ — A Monroe Township man who worked as a firefighter in Jersey City and Old Bridge has been arrested on charges that he posed as a minor online to produce child sexual abuse material, authorities said.

Drew Martucci, 27, was arrested without incident at his Monroe home onTuesday, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Linda Estremera and Monroe Township Police Chief Griffin Banos.

Jersey City and Old Bridge Fire District 3 both suspended Martucci without pay as soon as they learned of the arrest and charges, the prosecutor’s office said.

The investigation started with a CyberTip from New Jersey State Police. Det. Ken McGarry of the prosecutor’s office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit led the case. Authorities allege Martucci represented himself as a minor to produce child sexual abuse material.

The ICAC Unit made the arrest with help from the FBI Child Exploitation/Human Trafficking Task Force, Monroe Township police, members of the Middlesex County ICAC Task Force and a K-9 unit from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

After a search warrant was executed at his home, Martucci was charged with:

• First-degree production of child sexual abuse material

• Second-degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse material

• Second-degree attempted manufacturing of child sexual abuse material

• Second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse material

• Third-degree endangering the welfare of a child

• Third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material

• Third-degree invasion of privacy

• Two counts of third-degree distributing obscene material to a child

He is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Facility pending a pretrial detention hearing.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective McGarry at 732-745-3140.

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