What did Michael Hamilton do? Union County teacher arrested over exploiting children

Michael Hamilton, a Union County teacher has been accused of possessing content that includes videos and images related to child s*xual abuse, as per a press release by the United States Department of Justice. Hamilton faces several charges including possession of child p*rnography. He allegedly exchanged illicit messages with a minor over a few months earlier this year.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to child s*xual abuse and child p*rnography. Readers' discretion is advised.

Michael Hamilton has already made a court appearance on Friday, October 13, 2023. If found guilty, the New Jersey teacher can face up to 60 years imprisonment, along with a pretty hefty fine.

---

Michael Hamilton allegedly exchanged illicit messages with a minor from February 2023 to July 2023

US Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey confirmed that the 51-year-old currently faces several charges, including one count each of production, receipt and possession of child p*rnography.

Hamilton allegedly exchanged s*xually inappropriate messages with a minor from February to July of 2023. The messages involved several images and videos that "constituted child pornography depicting the minor victim," as per the press release from the US Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey.

Michael Hamilton might face upto 60 years behind the bars, (Image via @Louisiana259/X)

Hamilton made his first court appearance on Friday, in Newark federal court before Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte.

The child p*rnography charge carries a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years behind the bars along with a fine of $250,000. The charge of receipt of child exploitation content carries at least 5 years and at most 20 years of jail time, along with a fine of $250,000. The final charge of possession of child exploitation material carries at most 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

As per WPG Talk Radio, the complaint regarding Michael Hamilton states that the victim in question is 17 years old. During a search of the suspect's house, he also admitted to allgedly meeting a 16-year-old in Roxbury. While a video was obtained that showed that the encounter took place in 2018, Hamilton claimed that it occurred about 10 years ago.

---

The alleged victim is about 17 years old, (Image via Bob Scheurle/X)

FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy's direction, has been credited for the investigation into the case, by the US Attorney Philip R. Sellinger's Office. As per the press release, the investigation involved the Springfield Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office as well.

This case became known to the public under the Project Safe Childhood, which aims at dealing with cases of child exploitation and child s*xual abuse. The scheme was launched back in 2006, by the Justice Department.