New Jersey mom charged with kiddie porn

A Sussex County, New Jersey, woman was charged with producing, distributing, and advertising images of child sexual abuse.

Dominique Saczawa, 31, of Sparta, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of advertisement of child pornography.

She appeared on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, by video conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre and was detained.

According to U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig and documents filed in this case, Saczawa used a web-based application in August to share images and videos depicting the sexual assault of a child, and to solicit others to share similar content.

Saczawa produced video and images of a minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct and then communicated those items to other individuals through the web-based application.

The charges of production and advertisement of child pornography each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

Honig credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelica M. Sinopole of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Unit in Newark.

Saczawa has a drug-related criminal history dating back 10 years. In 2015, Franklin Borough police arrested her for allegedly selling heroin in and around the small Sussex County community..

According to one published report, Franklin police Detective Nevin Mattessich said Saczawa was charged with distribution of heroin, distribution of heroin in a school zone, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of hypodermic needles and use of heroin, and while officers were processing her arrest, they learned that she also had an outstanding warrant for prostitution issued by authorities in Tuscon, Arizona.