State Child Welfare Caseworker Sentenced 9+ Years for Child Pornography

Trent Collier, 58, received 109 months in prison for transporting and possessing child pornography, following a federal investigation into his return from overseas.

A former caseworker for the New Jersey Department of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Protection and Permanency, has been sentenced to over nine years in federal prison for child pornography charges. Trent Collier, 58, of Kearny, New Jersey, was sentenced to 109 months on May 2025 after previously pleading guilty to possessing and transporting child pornography.

The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and delivered by U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti. In addition to the prison term, Collier was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.

According to court documents and proceedings, Collier’s crimes came to light after he arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport from the Dominican Republic on September 28, 2021. A search of his mobile phone conducted by law enforcement at the airport revealed at least two images of child pornography. During questioning, Collier admitted to sending and receiving such material using his phone. Further investigation uncovered additional video content, some involving the sexual exploitation of toddlers.

The investigation was conducted by special agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, in collaboration with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, led at the time by Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.

This case falls under the scope of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation. The program aims to identify, apprehend, and prosecute individuals involved in child sexual abuse and pornography while also locating and assisting victims.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren D. Kober of the Criminal Division in Newark prosecuted the case.

Residents can learn more about Project Safe Childhood and related initiatives at justice.gov/psc.