Ex-Pleasantville principal gets eight years for child pornography

A former high school principal was sentenced to eight years in prison in a child pornography case.

Edward Bonek, 50, of Absecon, initially insisted that he believed he was downloading pornography involving adults to a computer issued to him as Pleasantville High School’s principal.

He was arrested in August 2018, and has been jailed since.

That Bonek took the laptop containing such images to work every day was “a tragic breach of the community trust,” Superior Court Judge Benjamin Podolnick said during a detention hearing where the former educator was ordered held.

The judge said that anyone could have accessed the files at school when Bonek was away from the computer.

Bonek did not speak at his sentencing.

He must serve five years before he is eligible for parole. He already has served about 1½ years.
Bonek also was given a concurrent five-year sentence for possession of an assault firearm. He had to surrender his principal and teaching licenses.

He will have to register as a Megan's Law offender and will be subject to lifetime supervision.

Pleasantville principal is "danger to the community," judge says in holding him

Calling him a “danger to the community,” a Superior Court judge ordered a Pleasantville principal remain jailed pending child pornography charges. Edward Bonek, 48, was arrested at his Absecon home last week, when investigators seized his school district-issued laptop and allegedly found more than 1,000 images of child pornography. That Bonek took the laptop containing ... Read more