Authorities say Steven Stone tried to destroy the hard drive on his computer
TOMS RIVER -- A Shore man has been charged with distributing child pornography from his home computer, authorities said Friday.
Steven StoneSteven Stone, 27, of Gloucester Drive in Brick, was charged Thursday with one count each of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato and Brick Township Police Chief James Riccio said.
Members of the prosecutor's high tech crime unit, the Brick Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement raided Stone's home early Thursday morning, authorities said.
As detectives raided his home, Stone tried to destroy evidence by ripping out the computer's hard drive and bending it in half, Coronato and Riccio said. Forensic examiners were still able to get evidence of child pornography possession and distribution, they said.
After examining Stone's computer, detectives determined Stone had been downloading and sharing images and movies of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts, Coronato and Riccio said.
Stone was being held in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The prosecutor's office and New Jersey State Police had been monitoring Stone's activities simultaneously, Riccio and Coronato said.
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.