Lanoka Harbor Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

Repeat offender faces mandatory minimum of 10 years following discovery of over 250 illicit images

A 78-year-old man from Lanoka Harbor, Ocean County, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. John Mangan entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on June 10.

The guilty plea stems from a search conducted on October 29, 2024, by agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), during which an electronic device was found in Mangan’s home containing more than 250 images depicting the sexual abuse of children.

Mangan is a repeat offender with a history of sexual offenses involving minors. He was previously convicted in New Jersey state court for sexually assaulting a minor while serving as a school principal. He also has a prior federal conviction for possession of child pornography.

Due to these prior convictions, Mangan faces enhanced sentencing under federal law. The current charge carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, with a maximum of up to 20 years, and a potential fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 21, 2025.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the Criminal Division in Trenton is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 to combat the sexual exploitation and abuse of children, particularly through the internet. The program coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local law enforcement to identify and prosecute offenders and rescue victims. More information about the initiative is available at Justice.gov/PSC.