Bayonne Man Charged with Coercing Minors to Produce Child Pornography

Julian Nova, 19, faces multiple federal charges after allegedly using online deception to solicit and distribute explicit content from minors.

A 19-year-old Bayonne resident has been arrested and charged with multiple federal offenses related to the production, coercion, and distribution of child pornography, according to an April 17 announcement by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.

Julian Nova was formally charged by federal complaint with two counts of production of child pornography, two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution, and one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III, in Newark federal court and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.

Federal investigators allege that between October and November 2023, Nova used online platforms to contact and manipulate multiple minors into sending him sexually explicit material. Court documents indicate that Nova sometimes posed as a teenage girl to gain victims’ trust. After obtaining initial images or videos, he allegedly threatened to expose the material to the victims’ friends and family unless they continued to comply with his demands, including creating content that involved acts of self-degradation.

The legal consequences for the charges Nova faces are severe. The production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years, along with a fine of up to $250,000. Coercion and enticement charges carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The distribution charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, while the possession charge has a maximum penalty of 10 years. Each charge also includes the potential for substantial financial penalties.

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit with assistance from the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kober of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

This case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, in collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies. More information is available at justice.gov/psc.

As of this report, all allegations remain accusations, and Nova is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.