A local youth wrestling coach was arrested Wednesday on charges he received and distributed child pornography, acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Alec Donovan made headlines a few years ago after the state championship Brick High School wrestler came out as gay.
More surprise followed this week as the 24-year-old man who coaches children in Lakewood was accused of sharing videos showing the sexual assault of boys.
He is also accused of using a web-based messaging application to talk with minors, including requesting they send him nude photographs and sending nude photographs to them, the charges claim.
Donovan was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond after a videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor.
He allegedly used the messaging application to share videos containing child pornography over the Internet.
From January through March of his year, Donovan sent three videos containing images of child sexual abuse and received two videos containing images of child sexual abuse via the web-based messaging application.
The videos Donovan sent and received depicted sexual acts involving children who looked as young as 8, with some included adults in the videos engaged in acts with the children, the complaint says.
In his LinkedIn page, Donovan refers himself as "hardworking dedicated man (dedicated) to improving my life and lives of others. I am an LGBT advocate as well as a coach. ...
"I am always looking for room to grow and prosper," he wrote.
The charge of receipt and distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI’s Newark Field Office is asking anyone with information related to this case or who may be a victim to contact them at NK-Victim-Assistance@FBI.gov.
Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
