School employee in Burlington County, NJ, charged for blackmailing young girls: Prosecutor

A computer technician at a public school system in Burlington County has been charged for allegedly blackmailing young girls into sending him nude pictures.

24-year-old Bryce Berger of Delanco is facing the following charges:

• First-degree production of child sexual abuse material
• Second-degree possession with intent to distribute child sexual abuse material
• Second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse material
• Second-degree impairing/debauching the morals of a child
• Third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material
• Third-degree obscenity to a minor
• Third-degree sexual extortion

Medford Township Public Schools employed Berger as a computer technician in a "non-instructional position, and he was not around students in an unsupervised capacity," according to officials who believe the "numerous" victims, who were between the ages of 12 and 17, were not students at the school, although an investigation is continuing.

The investigation began after the Prosecutor’s Office received information concerning Berger’s online activities. The investigation revealed that Berger used an online app to request and receive nude photos from underage girls, then threatened to post those nude images if they failed to send him additional photos. The investigation further revealed that Berger sent sexually explicit images to victims, as well as images of child sexual abuse material to another person.

The Burlington County Prosecutor's office says Berger was arrested Thursday morning while executing a search warrant at his home where multiple electronic devices were seized.

He was lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending a detention hearing in Superior Court. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.

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