Crime & Safety

Westfield Man Charged With Possession Of Child Sex Abuse Material

83-year-old William Maher was arrested on Tuesday following an early morning search of his Topping Hill Road home.

WESTFIELD, NJ — An 83-year-old Westfield man was charged with possession of child sexual abuse/exploitation material, announced Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro on Friday.

On Tuesday, May 16, William Maher was arrested by the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit following an early morning search of his Topping Hill Road home.

The search warrant was executed by the New Jersey State Police with help from detectives from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and Westfield Police Department.

Find out what's happening in Westfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Maher was taken to the Westfield Police Department where he was processed, served with a summons for possession of child sexual abuse/exploitation material, a crime of the third degree. He was released on his own recognizance pending a future court appearance.

How to report a crime or suspicious incident involving children:

Find out what's happening in Westfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

If you wish to report an instance of child endangerment and the suspect or victim lives in New Jersey, use the New Jersey State Police Computer Crimes Task Force Hotline at 1-888-648-6007.

If you wish to report an instance of child endangerment utilizing a web reporting system, or if you are unsure as to the location of the child, use the CyberTipline Reporting System sponsored by
the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): https://www.ncmec.org.

The NCMEC acts as a clearinghouse for information received from various sources and distributes it to law enforcement. As the lead department for the federal Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for the State of New Jersey, the New Jersey State Police receives all Cybertips linked to New Jersey.

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