Union County Teacher Charged with Child Pornography and Enticement of a Minor

Federal authorities allege Jack Wilder, a Somerville resident and Plainfield teacher, solicited sexual content from a minor and possessed child abuse material.

MORRISTOWN, NJ — A 26-year-old Union County teacher has been charged in federal court with multiple child exploitation offenses, including possession of child pornography and the enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Jack Wilder, of Somerville, was arrested and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark on charges stemming from an investigation into his communications with a minor and the discovery of child sexual abuse material on his personal device. Wilder was detained following the hearing.

According to court documents, Wilder, who was employed as a history teacher at a school in Plainfield, is accused of contacting a minor via a mobile payment app in February 2024. In those exchanges, he allegedly offered to pay the victim to engage in sexual activity and received sexually explicit images from the minor.

Further investigative action was taken when Wilder returned from an international trip in July 2024. Upon his arrival in New York, law enforcement officials legally searched his mobile phone and discovered a video containing child sexual abuse material, as well as explicit conversations with other individuals who identified themselves as minors.

Wilder faces one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is also charged with two counts of enticement of a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison.

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation and abuse by coordinating efforts across federal, state, and local agencies. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations Newark under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark is prosecuting the case.

As with all criminal charges, Wilder is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.