Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on August 24, 2023, Edward Lynch, 52, of Toms River, was charged with Possession of Child Pornography.
This investigation was the result of a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC received cyber-tips that an individual was downloading images of child pornography from the internet; an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit identified an IP address associated with a residence in Toms River as the location from which the individual was downloading these images.
On August 24, 2023, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, and Toms River Township Police Department Emergency Services Unit, executed a court-authorized search warrant on the subject residence. As a result, Detectives seized multiple electronic devices from the residence. A forensic examination of the devices by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit led to the discovery of more than 1000 images of child pornography. Further investigation revealed that Lynch was the individual responsible for downloading the child pornography in question. Lynch was taken into custody at his residence without incident; he was thereafter transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing.
Prosecutor Billhimer commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, Toms River Township Police Department Emergency Services Unit, and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, for their collaborative assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Lynch’s arrest.
The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
R.P.C. 3.6(b)(6).