October 14, 2023

NEWARK, N.J. – A Concord, New Hampshire, man pleaded guilty today in federal court in connection with the exploitation of a minor in New Jersey and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger and U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announced.

Scott Wilkinson, 38, pleaded guilty to one count each of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante in federal court in New Hampshire.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Wilkinson traveled from New Hampshire to New Jersey in April 2022, where he engaged in sexual acts with a 12-year-old child. Wilkinson had been corresponding with the child online for approximately one year prior to traveling to New Jersey to meet the child. A video that Wilkinson created of himself engaged in sexual acts with the child was found on his cell phone, as were other images and videos of child sexual abuse material.

The count of production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison. The count of possession of child pornography is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison, or a maximum of 20 years in prison if the court finds the defendant possessed child pornography of a child under the age of 12. He also faces up o $250,000 in fines on each count.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger and U.S. Attorney Young credited special agents of the FBI the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; and the Egg Harbor Township Police Department with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Harteis of the District of New Jersey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland of the District of New Hampshire.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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Defense counsel: Jeff Levin Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, New Hampshire

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