NJ youth counselor shared child sex abuse images, prosecutor says

🔸NJ youth counselor arrested

🔸Young man charged with keeping, and sharing child sex abuse files

🔸No accusations involving children in person

An 18-year-old Mercer County man has been accused of keeping and sharing child sexual abuse materials.

Gerald Keener, of Hamilton, faced three charges involving child sexual abuse material — possession, distribution and possession with the intent to distribute.

Detectives with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit had acted on a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

On Wednesday, law enforcement searched Keener’s Hamilton home.

Keener has worked for the Hamilton YMCA as a counselor, according to Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa Hilton.

As of Thursday, he faced no accusations of any offenses related to inappropriate physical contact with minors.

Anyone with potentially relevant information on Keener was asked to contact the prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit at (609) 989-6568 or mcposvu@mercercounty.org.

2nd counselor arrested in 2 weeks

Kenner's arrest follows a recent incident involving a youth counselor in Burlington County.

A 23-year-old Mount Laurel resident has been charged with third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material.

Read More: NJ ex-camp counselor accused of keeping child sex abuse files

Robert Nault previously worked as a summer counselor at Camp Ockanickon for Boys, as well as the School’s Out Program, both of which are run by the YMCA of the Pines.

Nault similarly did not face any accusations involving children that had been under his supervision, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.

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