NORTH CAPE MAY – The number of arrests on child pornography charges in Cape May County is nearing a dozen since the beginning of the year.
Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Lower Township Police Chief Kevin Lewis announced the arrest of Joe M. Musgrove, 44, of Townbank Road, in North Cape May, for third-degree endangering the welfare of a child (possession of child pornography).
Musgrave is the 11th individual arrested for child pornography in Cape May County since Jan. 1.
Law enforcement acted on a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led them to an unidentified subject, subsequently identified as Musgrove. Police said Musgrove was in possession of various images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and uploaded them to his personal Dropbox account.
A search warrant was executed at Musgrove’s North Cape May residence, July 18, by members of the Cape May County Regional SWAT Team, Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit & Internet Crimes Against Children (I.C.A.C.) Task Force, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI – Atlantic City), and Lower Township Police Department.
During the search, several items of evidence were seized from the residence and found to contain items of suspected CSAM.
Musgrove was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Facility pending court proceedings.
Individuals charged with a third-degree crime are subject to a term of imprisonment of three to five years in New Jersey state prison.
The prosecutor continues to urge the citizens of Cape May County to report any information regarding child exploitation or any criminal activity within the community.
Information can be reported to the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1135, or anonymously on the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office website at cmcpo.tips, as well as through the Cape May County Sheriff’s Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net by clicking on anonymous tip, or by contacting Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-889-3597.
