Kearny Police announce arrest in 11-month child pornography investigation

Kearny Police Chief George King announces the arrest of Justin T. Davidson, a 20-year-old Kearny man, after an 11-month investigation.

The Kearny Police Department Detective Bureau opened an investigation in early June 2020, based on numerous public social media posts alleging several local residents had been subjected to harassing or sexually objectionable behavior by a certain Kearny man. The investigation uncovered many instances where the suspect contacted victims via social media platforms Instagram and Snapchat and arranged to receive sexually explicit images of them.

Following that investigation, warrants issued on May 12 charging Davidson with the following offenses:

· Against a 19-year-old female victim: criminal sexual contact in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-3b, a fourth-degree crime; lewdness in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-4a, a disorderly persons offense; and cyber harassment in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1, a fourth-degree crime.

· Against a 15-year-old female victim: endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a first-degree crime; and endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(2), a third-degree crime.

· Against a 16-year-old female victim: endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a first-degree crime; and endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(2), a third-degree crime.

· Against a 15-year-old female victim: endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a first-degree crime; and endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(2), a third-degree crime.

· Against a 16-year-old female victim: endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a first-degree crime; and endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(2), a third-degree crime.

· Against a 17-year-old female victim: endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a first-degree crime; and endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(2), a third-degree crime.

· Against a 15-year-old female victim: endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a first-degree crime; criminal coercion in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:13-5, a third-degree crime; lewdness in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-4, a disorderly persons offense; cyber harassment in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1, a fourth-degree crime; and endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(2), a third-degree crime.

· Against a 17-year-old female victim: endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3), a first-degree crime; lewdness in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-4a, a disorderly persons offense; cyber harassment in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1, a fourth-degree crime; endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(2), a third-degree crime.

· Against the State: endangering the welfare of a child (possession of child pornography) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(b), a third-degree crime; and tampering with evidence in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:28-6, a fourth-degree crime.

Detectives arrested Davidson on May 12 without incident at his job in Glen Rock. He was remanded to the Hudson County Correctional Center, South Kearny, pending his first court appearance.

Chief King extends his gratitude to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, her office’s Special Victims Unit, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, for their assistance in this investigation.

Anyone wishing to report information pertaining to this case should contact Det. John Fabula of the Kearny Police Department at 201-998-1313 ext. 2833, or by email at jfabula@kearnynjpd.org. The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).