Howell Schools IT Tech Faces Child Porn Charges

A Jackson resident who is employed by the Howell Public Schools was arrested on Thursday and is facing charges of child pornography according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

According to a press release posted on the Jackson Police Department Facebook page 35-year-old Matthew Wolny was arrested early Thursday on charges of possession, manufacturing and distributing child pornography.

Wolney, an IT technician with the district was arrested following an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit that looks into child sexual exploitation. The investigation lasted more than two months and was assisted by the Jackson Police Department.

A search warrant of Wolny’s home revealed evidence that showed alleged involvement in “manufacturing, trading and possessing thousands of child pornography files, including graphic pictures and movies,” the press release said .

When presented with the search warrant Wolny is alleged to have attempted to fight his way out of his house before being taken into custody. He is charged with one count of second degree manufacturing child pornography, second degree distribution of child pornography, and one count of third degree possession of child pornography. The local department also charged him with resisting arrest and obstruction.

Howell Public Schools Superintendent Enid Golden said she was “obviously upset” by the news. Wolny had been employed by the district for 13 years and Golden said a letter is being sent home to parents to give more information on the situation.

In the letter sent by Golden  she said Wolny has been suspended from his position pending the outcome of the investigation.

Golden said in the letter that she has been told by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office that “there is no evidence that would implicate any criminal conduct in any of the schools.” She added that the district was confident based on information from the prosecutor’s office that, “our staff and students were not involved in any way.”

Parents with questions are encouraged to contact their child’s school principal who will be able to provide more guidance. “Be advised that Mr. Wolny was a non-instructional staff member; therefore, he had minimal opportunity to interact with children,” Golden added.

In addition to his work with the Howell Public Schools Wolny also worked as a volunteer assistant marching band Director at Brick Memorial High School and was a member of the Windsor Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He was also a member of the Ocean County YMCA.

Wolny’s bail has been set at $100,000 with no 10 percent option and he was taken to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of bail. Evidence including cell phones, a .44 caliber handgun and his car were seized for possible future forfeiture according to the release.

The case will be prosecuted under the new Child Pornography law which took effect just last month. The press release said the changes to the law allow for stronger penalites and grading of offenses by raising possession of child pornography to a third degree offense. It also creates a presumption for imprisonment for people with more than 100 files containing child pornography.

Distribution of child pornography is considered a strict liability offense if it happens on a peer-to-peer file sharing network, according to the release and distribution of more than 25 files carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Det. David Brubaker at 732-929-2027 ext. 5329.