NEWARK, NJ — John Carpenter, 41, of Lebanon, Mo., has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, sexual assault, manufacturing child exploitation material and subjecting two young children to sexual abuse, according to an April 19 press release from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The charges arose out of an investigation that started in South Carolina, where authorities discovered videos of two young girls engaged in sexual acts may have been sent from Newark. Because of the connection to Newark, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office became involved in December 2021 and identified the two children as two Newark sisters, ages 11 and 9.
As a result of the investigation, which is ongoing, the defendant is facing federal child pornography charges and is being held without bond in Missouri.
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II praised all agencies involved, noting this case is yet another example of the danger that young children face online.
The charges are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.