In some jaw-dropping Christmastime news, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested a teacher and Santa Claus impersonator for horrible crimes against children; the individual who was arrested was charged with possession of illegal, explicit pictures of children. So, he is now off the streets thanks to the Trump Administration.
As it does not appear that the individual arrested was not an alien, it is unclear why ICE agents were the ones involved in arresting him after being alerted by other federal agents to the nature of his alleged, awful crimes. Regardless, they were, and they revealed what had happened in a December 22 press release.
Beginning the press release, ICE noted, “ICE Homeland Security Investigations Newark and local law enforcement partners arrested a so-called ‘Santa Claus’ in New Jersey. On Dec. 5, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence of Mark Paulino, who is suspected of possessing and distributing child s*xual exploitation and abuse material.” The acronym for the horribly material is CSAM.
Continuing, the press release described the individual’s background, noting that he was both a teacher and a Santa Claus impersonator. It said, “Paulino, a self-employed Santa Claus impersonator and former schoolteacher, was charged by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office with one count of second-degree distribution of [CSAM], one count of second-degree possession with the intent to distribute [CSAM], one count of third-degree possession of [CSAM] and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Paulino pending trial.”
Building on that, the press release noted that ICE made the arrest because it was tipped off, though it did not note why ICE agents were the ones who had been tipped off, given their focus on immigration enforcement matters and the high priority those detainment and deportation operations typically garner.
In any case, noting that aspect of the case, it said, “Authorities initiated an investigation after HSI Newark special agents in Trenton and detectives with the prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit received information from the New Jersey State Police that Paulino had uploaded multiple files of suspected [CSAM] to the internet.”
And, describing the background of the arrested Santa impersonator, it said, “According to his website, Paulino recently retired from the Hamilton Township School District as an elementary school teacher and is now a professional Santa impersonator, available for photographs and private corporate and organizational events.”
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HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, commenting on the operation and the importance of the arrest, was quoted in the press release as saying, “HSI special agents are unwavering in their mission to protect our communities from those who prey on the vulnerable, knowing that even individuals who seem trustworthy may be living a double life.”
He added, “This case demonstrates the crucial role the public plays in reporting suspected child abuse or exploitation. We commend the courageous individuals who came forward — their vigilance and willingness to speak out have played a vital part in protecting children and bringing offenders to justice.”