TRENTON, NJ – William Mickel, a 70-year-old from Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the possession and distribution of lewd child imagery.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the plea, which occurred in the Trenton federal court before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner.
Mickel, formerly employed at Boy Scout camps in New Jersey, was charged with the distribution and possession of lewd child imagery. Court documents reveal that from February 2022 through April 2022, Mickel used email to distribute and stored hundreds of illicit images and videos on his home electronic devices.
Some of the videos contained footage of children recorded without their knowledge in campsite bathrooms.
The distribution charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and could extend up to 20 years, along with a potential $250,000 fine. Similarly, the possession charge could lead to a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Mickel’s sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2024.