Gerard J. Hampel Jr., 80, of Ringwood, was arrested Thursday and charged after a Passaic County investigation into suspected child sexual abuse material, according to Daily Voice. Investigators say an initial review of a flash drive linked to him found more than 1,000 images and videos, and a notepad allegedly used to track downloaded material.
The arrest followed an investigation by the Passaic County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that had been building for several months, according to Daily Voice. An initial review of the flash drive allegedly linked to Hampel turned up more than 1,000 images and videos depicting suspected abuse material involving children approximately 4 to 16 years old, per the outlet's reporting.
On Thursday, October 15, 2026, detectives executed a search warrant and seized numerous electronic devices and the notepad, according to the Daily Voice report. Investigators are examining the other devices; the investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges are possible.
How the Investigation Started
The investigation began after detectives learned that an unidentified person had uploaded suspected child sexual abuse material to an image search engine, apparently seeking similar content, Daily Voice reported. The report did not explain how investigators connected that lead to Hampel.
Hampel was charged with second-degree possession, maintaining and distribution of child pornography, as well as a third-degree possession charge, the outlet reported Daily Voice.
Sheriff's Office Response
Passaic County Sheriff Thomas Adamo thanked the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office and the Ringwood Police Department for helping with the investigation. He said child exploitation victimizes children, according to Daily Voice.
Adamo also said the sheriff's office remains committed to identifying and arresting people who possess or distribute child pornography, the outlet reported.
ICAC figures offer broader context
Available figures offer snapshots rather than a continuous year-by-year account of the New Jersey task force’s caseload. Reports of online threats to children increased by nearly 50 percent in 2020, a historical reporting figure that does not establish a current trend, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, citing state ICAC Task Force statistics. Nationally, Internet Crimes Against Children task forces conducted nearly 347,000 investigations in 2025, leading to more than 17,000 arrests, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
