Ocean County School Bus Driver Admits Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse Over the Internet

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
December 3, 2012

TRENTON—An Ocean County, New Jersey school bus driver today admitted distributing images of child sexual abuse over the Internet through his home computer, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Frank J. Bognar, 31, of Jackson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

As early as October 27, 2011, Bognar downloaded and distributed videos and images of child pornography on the Internet via a peer-to-peer file sharing network, through which others had access to the material on a shared drive. The FBI seized a computer containing videos and photographs of child sexual abuse, including images of sadistic and masochistic conduct against children, during a search of his residence on February 9, 2012. He was arrested later that day.

As part of his plea, Bognar agreed to surrender six firearms and assorted ammunition that were seized on the day of his arrest. Bognar also admitted that he received images of child sexual abuse via an e-mail account, beginning as early as July 2008.

The count of distributing child pornography to which Bognar pleaded guilty is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2013.

Bognar is currently released on $100,000 unsecured bond, conditioned on home confinement with electronic monitoring, no owning or use of computers, and no contact with minors.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force in New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford; the Jackson Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Matthew D. Kunz; and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office task force officers, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn Murray, for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Clabby of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.