A former New Jersey child protection caseworker has admitted to possessing and transporting child pornography, including images showing sexual exploitation of toddlers, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Trent Collier, 57, of Kearny, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court on Tuesday to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of and one count of transportation of child pornography.
According to the indictment, the images involved “a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.”
The investigation into Collier — who was once employed by Child Protection and Permanency, the child welfare division within the New Jersey Department of Children and Families — began in September 2021 at Newark Liberty International Airport.
According to court documents, Collier had just returned to the United States aboard a flight from the Dominican Republic when officials searched his luggage and found at least two images of child sexual abuse in his cellphone.
He reportedly also admitted to exchanging child porn images with one other person.
A further search of his phone found “multiple additional images of child sexual abuse, including images depicting the sexual exploitation of toddlers,” prosecutors said.
Collier is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 10. He faces up to 40 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of at least $250,000.
