NJ High School Teacher Arrested on Child Porn Charges

A teacher in North Jersey has been arrested on child porn-related charges.

51-year-old Michael Hamilton of Springfield, Union County, is facing one count each of production, receipt and possession of child pornography.

Federal authorities say from February through July of this year, Hamilton, who is a high school teacher at a school not identified by prosecutors, began an exchange with a minor on a messaging platform.

Hamilton and the minor victim exchanged hundreds of sexually explicit messages, pictures, and videos, many of which constituted child pornography depicting that minor, according to officials.

On Friday, Hamilton made an initial appearance in Newark federal court and was ordered detained.

Each charge carries a potential prison sentence ranging from five to 30 years with up to a total of $750,000 in fines.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.