James Hasenauer (Photo: OCPO)
After being identified as a potential source of child pornography on the internet, a Toms River man was arrested and charged with several related offenses, authorities said Thursday.
James Hasenauer, 63, of Lloyd Road, is facing charges of possession and distribution of child pornography as well as child endangerment, according to Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation was initiated by a referral from the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task force, which located the potential source, later identified as Hasenauer, in Ocean County, Della Fave said. Detectives from the prosecutor’s office’s High Tech Crimes Unit identified the location as the Lloyd Road address.
On Thursday morning, county detectives as well as ICE agents and Toms River police executed a search warrant at the residence. As a result of the search warrant digital evidence, a loaded unregistered .44 caliber handgun, ammunition and marijuana were seized from the residence, Della Fave said.
Toms River police will be handling the drug charges, according to police.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone who has information regarding additional illegal activity by Hasenauer is being asked to contact OCPO Detective Kaitlin Mantle at 732-929-2027 ext. 2740. All information will be treated completely confidential, Della Fave said.
