NEWARK, N.J. A Bayonne, New Jersey, man was convicted at trial today on charges of producing and possessing images and videos of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Gregory John Schaffer, 38, was found guilty on all three counts of an indictment charging him with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He was convicted following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court. The jury deliberated one and a half hours before returning its verdict.
According to documents filed in the case and the evidence at trial:
In 2010, Schaffer sexually abused a 12-year-old girl in a tow-truck office in Union City, New Jersey, and video recorded the abuse without her knowledge. He later stored the video recording on a laptop computer found by law enforcement in his office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Schaffer also backed-up the video recording to another electronic storage device found in his office.
Around the same time, Schaffer also sexually abused a 14-year-old girl in a hotel room and video recorded the abuse without her knowledge. Schaffer again stored the video recording on the same laptop computer and electronic storage device that law enforcement found in his office.
Law enforcement also found additional sexually explicit videos and images of minors on Schaffers laptop computer and electronic storage device.
The production of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The possession of child pornography charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge David E. Beach, New York Field Office; and the Hudson County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to todays guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason S. Gould and Meredith Williams of the U.S. Attorneys Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Thomas Ambrosio Esq., of Lyndhurst, New Jersey
--DOJ District of New Jersey
Source: U.S. Secret Service