Man Gets 5 Years In Toms River Child Sex Luring Sting

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Mays Landing man has been sentenced to five years in prison in connection with his 2018 arrest in a child luring undercover operation that led to the arrests of multiple men in Toms River, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced.

Richard Hoffman, 27, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan in connection with his Feb. 14 guilty plea to luring, authorities said. He also must register as a Megan's Law offender and is subject to parole supervision for life, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Hoffman was arrested Sept. 5, 2018, as part of Operation Open House — a multi-agency undercover operation led by the New Jersey Department of Criminal Justice, New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Billhimer said. This operation targeted men who were using the social media applications Whisper and Kik to attempt to lure underage girls and boys for sex.

Hoffman believed he was chatting with a 14-year-old girl and arranged to meet her at a home in Toms River for sex. In reality, Hoffman was chatting with an undercover detective from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. He showed up at the prearranged address in Toms River on Sept. 5, 2018, and was arrested, Billhimer said.

He was taken to the Ocean County Jail, and later released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Kristin Pressman handled the case.

Operation Open House was a joint investigation by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, New Jersey State Police, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, United States Homeland Security Investigations, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, New Jersey State Parole Board, Bayonne Police Department, Gloucester Township Police Department, Hazlet Township Police Department, Keyport Police Department, Monroe Township Police Department, Red Bank Police Department, Spring Lake Police Department, Toms River Township Police Department, and Voorhees Township Police Department.