MAYWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE: BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE

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Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal announced the arrest of NICHOLAS A. BENCZE (DOB: 09/08/1981; married; and unemployed) of Maywood, New Jersey, on the charges of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Possession of Child Pornography, and Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substances. The arrest is the result of an investigation led by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Cyber Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti and the Maywood Police Department under the direction of Chief David Pegg.

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On Friday, September 8, 2017, detectives executed a search warrant at the home of Nicholas A. BENCZE in connection with an investigation relating to images of child pornography on the Internet and the trafficking of controlled substances on the Dark Web (or Darknet). The investigation revealed that BENCZE utilized the Internet and/or the Darknet to access, view, and download sexually explicit files depicting prepubescent children. In addition, the investigation revealed that BENCZE utilized the Darknet and Bitcoin currency to acquire quantities of controlled dangerous substances, including steroids.

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As a result, Nicholas A. BENCZE was arrested on September 8, 2017, and charged with one count each of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4A(2), a second degree crime; one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, to wit: Possession of Child Pornography, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4B(5)(B), a third degree crime; and Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substances, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10A(1), a third degree crime. BENCZE was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, pending a first appearance in the Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 8:30 a.m.

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Prosecutor Grewal states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Grewal would like to thank the Maywood Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.