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TRENTON –A New Jersey state trooper has been arrested for allegedly engaging in a sexually explicit email exchange with an adult woman about a prepubescent girl, during which the trooper and the woman allegedly exchanged sexually explicit photos, including a photo of the young girl.
Trooper Jeffrey Reitz, 47, of Williamstown, N.J., was arrested on a charge of third-degree possession of child pornography. Reitz was held in custody pending a first appearance in court. Reitz, who is assigned to the Commercial Carrier Safety Inspection Unit, has been suspended by the New Jersey State Police.
It is alleged that on Dec. 31, 2014, Reitz engaged in a sexually explicit email exchange with an adult woman, during which the woman proposed that he sexually assault a prepubescent girl. It is alleged that Reitz asked for a photo of the girl, and the woman responded by emailing Reitz a sexually explicit photo of the girl. Reitz allegedly sent photos of his genitals to the woman, both before and after the woman sent the sexually explicit photo of the girl.
Reitz’s alleged participation in the email exchange with the woman was discovered much later as the result of evidence seized in a separate investigation by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. Reitz was charged today in an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau.
According to the New York Post the woman, who was the mother of the child, was from Gloucester City, NJ. The woman was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to permitting a child to engage in pornography.
Reitz was arrested Thursday, April 18 on a charge of third-degree possessing child pornography and was being held at the Salem County Correctional Facility. He faces a possible sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
He has been suspended from the police force, where he is assigned to the Commercial Carrier Safety Inspection Unit.
Reitz’s attorney, Stuart Alterman, said his client is a 15-year police veteran and has served “without incident.”
“I met with my client today. He is going to be entering a plea of not guilty and he should be released very shortly,” Alterman said Thursday. “We will take whatever necessary steps in order to have him exonerated and restored to his position.”
Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000. The charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
published gloucestercitynews.net | April 21, 2019
