A New Jersey man is accused of distributing child pornography.
Michael Heiler, 51, of Ventnor, was arrested and charged with distribution and possession of child abuse images.
Investigators with the Department of Homeland Security received a referral of images and videos sexually exploiting children on a social messaging application. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Ventnor Police joined in on the investigation.
Investigators later identified Heiler as the person who distributed the images.
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Federal agents and Atlantic County investigators converged on Heiler’s home on Tuesday to carry out a search warrant.
“It was very surprising when you get up in the morning and you see like, 11 to 14 private cars here,” MaryAnn Zambino, a neighbor, told NBC10. “And you know they’re police cars because they’re all dark.”
Heiler was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
