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Former NJ Youth Director Facing Child Porn Charges

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Arnold DiBlasi was arrested and charged with possessing and distributing pornographic images of children; he also faces four counts of child endangerment charges. After a warrant was executed on July 26, DiBlasi was taken into custody and placed in Burlington County Jail.

DiBlasi is the former youth group director at Holy Eucharist Parish in Cherry Hill. He has been under investigation since May after the FBI sent a tip to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, specifically their High-Tech Crimes Unit. Allegedly, the investigation led to the discovery of an online chat room that DiBlasi used to distribute over 11,00 files of child pornography to about 30 people.

After a detention hearing, DiBlasi was released. The case is heading to a grand jury to determine whether he will be indicted.

Child Pornography Possession & Distribution Charge Penalties

In New Jersey, the possession of child pornography is a crime of the third degree, which is punishable by a fine of no more than $15,000 and three to five years in prison. Distribution of child pornography is a second-degree offense, which is punishable by a fine of no more than $150,000 and five to ten years in prison.

If convicted of either offense, a person will also be required to register as a sex offender. Felony convictions and registered sex offenders also face several societal penalties, including losing certain professional licenses, losing educational opportunities, and having to keep law enforcement updated on your current address.

DiBlasi has also been charged with four counts of child endangerment. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4, endangering the welfare of a child occurs when a person who has a legal duty to care for a child or who has legally assumed responsibility for a child’s care either:

  • causes a child harm that would cause the child to be considered a neglected or abused child as defined in N.J.S.A. § 9:6-1 or § 9:6-3, which is a third-degree offense or
  • engages in sexual conduct that impairs or debauches the morals of a child, which is a second-degree offense.

Being Investigated for or Facing Child Pornography Charges? Contact Our Firm.

At Law Offices of Joseph R. Donahue, LLC, our attorney can help you or a loved one build a solid defense against child pornography charges. We can also work to ensure law enforcement officers treat you fairly and lawfully during the investigation. We understand how scary and frustrating it can be to be under suspicion for or arrested and charged with a sex crime, which is we provide our clients with high-quality, aggressive legal representation.

As each case and client are unique, we offer personalized solutions and attention to each case. Common defense strategies against possession and/or distribution charges include:

  • Entrapment. If an undercover police officer or detective coerced or encouraged the defendant, it can be argued that you would not have downloaded, possessed, or distributed the image or depiction.
  • Illegal search and seizure. If the police did not adhere to the law and legal procedures, we can fight to have the evidence dismissed.
  • Unknowing possession. We can seek to prove that you shared a computer or that others had access to your device’s hard drive.
  • Adult depiction. If a minor was not in the image or depiction, the charges should be dropped.

If you assist the police in finding others involved in child pornography possession or distribution or acted in good faith when you discovered the images (i.e. by deleting or reporting the images, etc.), we can also work to negotiate a plea deal with the prosecution. Again, the strategy we employ for your case will depend on case specifics.

To learn more about our services, schedule an initial consultation with our firm today by calling (201) 574-7919 or reaching out online.

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