What to Know
- Child pornography allegation against Trooper Jeffrey Reitz, 47, stems from recently uncovered 2014 email exchange.
- Reitz allegedly received a sexually-explicit photo of a prepubescent girl, the attorney general's office said.
- Reitz is suspended without pay.
A New Jersey State trooper is suspended without pay after being charged with child pornography.
Trooper Jeffrey Reitz, 47, exchanged sexually-explicit photos while engaged in “a sexually-explicit email exchange with an adult woman about a prepubescent girl,” a news release from the office of New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said.
The allegation against Reitz dates from a Dec. 31, 2014 email exchange where the woman suggested that Reitz “sexually assault a prepubescent girl,” the AG's office said.
Reitz then allegedly asked for a photo of the girl and the woman then sent him a sexually-explicit photo of the minor, investigators said.
He also allegedly sent the woman photos of his genitals before and after receiving the photo, the AG’s office said.
The exchange only came to light much later after a separate Camden County Prosecutor’s Office investigation, the AG’s office said.
Local
The Williamstown man was arrested Thursday. The AG office’s Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Computer Crimes Bureau charged Reitz with third-degree possession of child pornography, at AG’s office said.
Reitz is part of New Jersey State Police’s Commercial Carrier Safety Inspection Unit. When reached by phone Thursday, an NJSP spokesman said it is department policy not to comment about pending cases and that Reitz is suspended without pay.
Reitz faces three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000 if he is found guilty.
A message for Reitz’s attorney has yet to be returned.
