NJ Boy Scout employee charged with distributing child sex abuse images
A Morris County man formerly employed by the Boy Scouts of America was indicted by a federal grand jury, following allegations he collected and distributed images of child sex abuse, including videos of children using bathrooms at scout-run campsites, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The defendant, William Mickel, 69, of Lake Hopatcong, was ordered to remain in federal custody on Thursday after a panel moved to officially charge him with possession and distribution of child sex abuse materials, the court stated.
According to the statement, Mickel, who worked at the Boy Scout camps, proliferated the images via email between February and April of last year, all while storing hundreds of the illicit files on electronic devices in his home, federal attorney’s claim.
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The videos allegedly taken inside bathrooms at the camps where Mickel worked were described by federal prosecutors as “surreptitiously recorded.” However, the statement did not say whether authorities believe Mickel recorded the footage himself.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office urges anyone who believes they may have been victimized by the defendant to contact the FBI.
If convicted of distributing the images, Mickel could face anywhere from five to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A conviction on the charge of possession carries no mandatory minimum, but could result in a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a separate $250,000 fine.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Boy Scout employee charged with distributing child sex images
