Former Rutgers Student Indicted on Child Porn Distribution Charges

A former Rutgers University undergraduate student has been indicted on charges of distributing child pornography on the Internet while he was still a student at the University, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced on Monday.

Hongyu Wang, 21, of Piscataway, was charged with one count of distributing child pornography, one count of offering child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of attempted tampering with evidence, and one count of attempted hindering apprehension, Hoffman said.

The New Jersey State Police Digital Technology Investigation Unit (DTIU) and the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) discovered Wang’s file using person-to-person filesharing software in December of 2011, Hoffman said.

Wang agreed to speak with detectives on Jan. 26, 2012, but when he took them to the apartment he was sharing with his parents, he shoved his mother in front of detectives and ran into his bedroom, Hoffman said.

The detective apprehended Wang before he reached his computer. It was later determined Wang had powerful magnets in his shoes he was going to use to destroy all the data on his computer's hard drive, according to Hoffman.

The detective obtained a search warrant, and a forensic examination determined Wang had 230 videos depicting child pornography on his computer, Hoffman said.

Wang was expelled from Rutgers following his arrest, Hoffman said.