Union County High School Teacher Guilty of Producing Child Pornography

Michael Hamilton, 53, admitted in federal court to recording a sexual act with a minor and possessing explicit materials involving other victims.

UNION COUNTY, NJ - A former high school teacher from Union County, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of producing child pornography, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.

Michael Hamilton, 53, entered his guilty plea on April 22, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court. Hamilton admitted to engaging in sexual conduct with a minor and recording the encounter on video, which was later discovered by law enforcement during a search of his residence in October 2023.

Court records indicate that Hamilton was also in possession of sexually explicit communications and media involving two additional minors. The offense to which Hamilton pleaded guilty—production of child pornography—carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, along with a potential fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2025.

The case was investigated by the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, led by Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly. Local support was provided by the Springfield Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

Hamilton’s prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the exploitation of children through online and digital platforms. The program coordinates federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts to identify, apprehend, and prosecute individuals involved in child sexual exploitation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Sussman and Robert Taj Moore of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark are overseeing the government’s case. Further information about the national Project Safe Childhood initiative can be found at justice.gov/psc.