NJ child predator got illegal pics from 3 victims, prosecutors say

📱 Federal grand jury indicts New Jersey man

📱 Charged with 3 counts of producing child porn

📱 Had victims send pics to his phone, prosecutors say

HARRISBURG, Penn. — A New Jersey man is accused of pressuring three children into sending him illegal pictures of themselves.

Jose Colon, 50, of Bloomfield was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Colon was charged with three counts of producing child pornography. If he's convicted, each count carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors said Colon enticed children into taking photos of themselves engaged in sexual activity and then had them send those photos to his cell phone.

How to protect your kids online

Keeping children safe in today's digital world can seem impossible but the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking has some tips for parents.

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The non-profit recommends that parents talk to their kids frequently about who they're talking to and playing with online. Parents should get to know what their children enjoy about online activities and should let them engage with those positive aspects.

Parents need to know that a single conversation is not enough, according to the coalition. These conversations should also not shame a child for their online activity.

"If they have shared CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) of themselves, they were manipulated in order to do so. Shame is a method traffickers use to further manipulate, so be supportive instead of blaming the child," the coalition said.

Kids should also be told to only interact with people they know and trust in the real world.

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