Let's see, a Protestant Minister/Teacher, a substitute teacher,pediatrician, married not celibate
30 Jerseyans to face Internet child-porn charges
Federal authorities say arrests include pediatrician and teacher
Thursday, January 15, 2004
BY MATTHEW J. DOWLING AND ROBERT RUDOLPH
Star-Ledger Staff
Federal authorities plan to announce today the arrests of about 30 New Jersey residents -- including a pediatrician, teacher and minister -- on charges that they downloaded nude photos of children from the Internet, law enforcement sources said.
The months-long, nationwide investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has targeted dozens of other alleged pedophiles across the country, sources said. Federal officials have called a news conference in Newark today to detail the arrests and how investigators tracked down those seeking child pornography on the Web.
Among those already charged is Ronald M. Hiles, 44, of High Bridge. Hiles, a substitute teacher at the High Bridge elementary and middle schools in Hunterdon County, was arrested Tuesday morning after agents from ICE raided his home and seized two computer hard drives that contained 15 images of nude boys, authorities said.
Earlier this month, Lee Matthews, a minister and drama teacher at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, was arrested on similar charges. Matthews, 48, of Plainfield, is accused of downloading more than 100 pornographic pictures of boys and girls on his home computer. After his arrest, Matthews was relieved of his duties at the all-girl college prep school.
Agents from ICE, which is part of the federal Department of Homeland Security, have been executing search warrants throughout New Jersey this week. The investigation is an offshoot of "Operation Predator," an international investigation into child pornography and child prostitution that has resulted in 1,600 arrests since July.
Hiles, who is married and the father of three, posted a $100,000 bond yesterday after his first appearance in U.S. District Court before Judge Madeline Cox Arleo. He was banned from having access to computers or the Internet and ordered not to have unsupervised contact with children, other than his own, in nonpublic places.
"I'm sorry, at the advice of counsel, I have no comment for you," Hiles said when he answered the door at his Michael Lane home last night.
Hiles told authorities after his arrest that he used the Internet to view images of nude boys between the ages of 8 and 18, and subscribed to Web sites that provided child pornography, according to court documents.
If convicted, Hiles could face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
High Bridge school Superintendent Patricia Ash said that Hiles, who worked in the district for about 2 1/2 years, was removed from the substitute teacher list yesterday.
"We are very upset with what has happened," Ash said from her home last night.
Ash, who has been in touch with the U.S. Attorney's Office and Customs agents, said she was told that there is no connection between the charges and Hiles' work in the High Bridge schools.
"We are a small community and a very caring community. This is just one of those things we are going to have to deal with," Ash said.
In addition to working as a teacher in High Bridge, Hiles also has volunteered with youth programs at Presbyterian churches in Clinton and Califon.
The Rev. Tim Harrison, co-pastor of the Clinton Presbyterian Church where Hiles has volunteered for the last two years, said church leaders met last night to discuss the arrest.
Harrison said he does not have reason to believe Hiles had any inappropriate contact with children participating in the youth programs, which always have multiple adults supervising children.
He described Hiles as friendly and said he was surprised to learn of the charges against him.
"This is just very sad," Harrison said.
Staff writer Peter N. Spencer contributed to this report
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