Middlesex County Man Admits to Production and Possession of Child Pornography

TRENTON, N.J. – An Old Bridge, New Jersey man admitted to producing and possessing images and recordings of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today. Daniel Berwick, 39, pleaded guilty on August 18, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to a three-count Information charging him with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In August and September 2025, Berwick persuaded and enticed Minor Victim-1 and Minor Victim-2 to create and send him photos and video recordings on the social media platform Snapchat that depicted the minors engaged in sexual activity. As part of his scheme, Berwick catfished his victims by presenting himself as a 17-year-old high school student and using the photos and video recordings of an adult content creator as if they were pictures of him. Eventually, Berwick even threatened to send compromising photos of Minor Victim-1 to her family and high school officials, if she did not meet his demands for money or sexual acts. After searching Berwick’s electronic devices, law enforcement uncovered, among other things, at least 1,000 images of child pornography, including prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler, and images portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct. The production of child pornography charges related to Minor Victim-1 and Minor Victim-2 each carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum term of 30 years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. The possession of child pornography charge carries a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment, which is increased from a maximum of 10 years because at least one image associated with the offense includes a prepubescent minor, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for December 21, 2026. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Offense, under the direction of Prosecutor Linda Estremera, and the Old Bridge Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Thomas J. Montagna, for their assistance in the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. ### Defense counsel: Robert C. Scrivo, Esq., Mandelbaum Barrett PC. berwick.information.pdf