Man charged with providing gifts to Burlington County juvenile in exchange for nude pics and videos

A North Jersey man has been charged with providing gifts to a Burlington County juvenile in exchange for nude photos and videos of the boy, authorities said Friday.

Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Cinnaminson Township Police Chief William Obuchowski announced that 27-year-old Sebastian Romero, of Somerset, was arrested on Aug. 2 while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at his residence.

Romero was charged with production of child sexual abuse material, aggravated sexual extortion, luring, and related offenses, Bradshaw said. Romero was denied release during a detention hearing Friday in Superior Court in Mount Holly and was being held at the Burlington County Jail.

Bradshaw said the investigation began last month after the juvenile’s family contacted the Cinnaminson Township Police Department. Law enforcement determined that Romero allegedly contacted the minor in a chat room for an online gaming platform.

Investigators alleged that Romero knew the juvenile’s age and obtained personal information about the minor before offering electronic gift cards in exchange for nude photos and video.

Bradshaw said that Romero allegedly arranged to meet the juvenile for a sexual encounter and, after the boy failed to appear, then began making threatening statements toward the minor’s family.