A Williamstown man is among a number of people from as far as Florida that the state Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police have charged in cases dealing with Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM).
Ryan Olson, 23, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in November to five years in state prison for filming a child engaged in a prohibited sexual act and possession of CSAM. He contacted multiple minors on social media in an effort to solicit sexually explicit photos and videos. Olson will also be subject to Megan’s Law and parole supervision for life, according to a press release from the state attorney general.
Over the past several years, there has been a marked increase nationally in the number of people reporting suspected predatory activity online. Tips are investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, led by the state police, and prosecuted by the DCJ Cyber Crimes Bureau, as well as by county prosecutors’ offices.
As a result, the number of defendants facing charges for these crimes has increased. In 2020, the number charged with CSAM-related offenses in New Jersey was approximately 232, according to the attorney general’s Office of Justice Data. By 2024, that figure had climbed nearly 74%, to approximately 404 defendants charged.
The increase in arrests can be attributed in part to enhanced collaboration between local, state, and federal law-enforcement agencies, working through the ICAC Task Force. Cases brought by the taskforce have been many, and include a variety of crimes such as possession, distribution and manufacturing of CSAM; luring; attempted aggravated sexual assault; and human trafficking.
In an effort to continue the trend of identifying, arresting and prosecuting those who prey on the young, Attorney General Matthew Platkin has increased the staff of his department’s Cyber Unit by 13% since January, from 23 members to 26. The Human Trafficking Unit has increased 33%, from 12 to 16.
“The safety of children is a priority of my office, the Division of Criminal Justice, and the state police, which is why we have allocated additional resources to combating this exploitation through investigations and prosecutions,” Platkin said.
“I urge all parents and guardians to be vigilant in monitoring their children’s online activities,” added Col. Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the state police. “Your diligence today can help prevent unimaginable tragedies tomorrow.”
