NEWARK, N.J. – Gregory John Schaffer, 38, of Bayonne, New Jersey, has been found guilty on all counts related to the production and possession of deeply disturbing child pornography. The verdict came today after a grueling three-day trial held before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares, with the jury reaching a decision after just ninety minutes of deliberation. Schaffer now faces a significant stretch behind bars for his heinous crimes.
The case, painstakingly built by federal investigators, revealed a pattern of predatory behavior. In 2010, Schaffer sexually abused a 12-year-old girl within the confines of a tow-truck office in Union City, New Jersey. Cruelly, he secretly video recorded the assault without the victim’s knowledge or consent. The footage, along with backups, was discovered by law enforcement during a search of his Jersey City office.
But the depravity didn’t end there. Investigators uncovered evidence that Schaffer also sexually abused a 14-year-old girl in a hotel room, again secretly recording the attack. This video, too, was found stored on the same laptop computer and external storage device seized from his office. The sheer callousness of Schaffer’s actions is sickening; he treated these vulnerable young victims as objects for his own twisted gratification.
Beyond the recordings of these specific assaults, authorities also discovered a trove of additional sexually explicit videos and images of minors on Schaffer’s computer and storage devices. This suggests a long-term pattern of exploitation and a disturbing obsession with child sexual abuse material. The scale of the digital evidence paints a grim picture of a predator operating with impunity until brought to justice.
Schaffer now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison for the production of child pornography charges, alongside a hefty $250,000 fine. The possession charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and another $250,000 fine. Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick emphasized the importance of this conviction, stating it sends a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Secret Service, and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason S. Gould and Meredith Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark successfully prosecuted the case. Thomas Ambrosio Esq., of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, served as Schaffer’s defense counsel. This case serves as a stark reminder of the predators lurking in our communities and the vital work of law enforcement in protecting our most vulnerable citizens.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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