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North Bergen Woman Charged with Distribution of Child Pornography
Federal authorities allege the defendant shared explicit material and discussed abuse with another individual arrested earlier this year.
MORRISTOWN, NJ — A 23-year-old woman from North Bergen has been charged with the distribution of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, federal prosecutors announced this week.
Natasha Rivas appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court following a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charge stems from an investigation that began in January 2025 after law enforcement arrested another individual for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to the complaint and statements made in court, investigators discovered that the arrested individual had exchanged messages with Rivas. In those communications, Rivas allegedly distributed CSAM and engaged in conversations about the sexual abuse of children. The images Rivas is accused of sharing reportedly involved a prepubescent child she had access to while at a hotel in Ridgefield Park in July 2024.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years, along with a potential fine of up to $250,000.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local authorities. The initiative focuses on the apprehension and prosecution of individuals who exploit children and the identification of child victims.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark is prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
