Suspended Dover Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse Material Distribution

Anthony Kelly, 37, of Ledgewood, admitted to distributing over 100 items of CSAM via messaging app; sentencing set for July

A suspended Dover Police officer has pled guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), following a multi-month investigation initiated by national cybercrime alerts.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll announced that Anthony Kelly, 37, of Ledgewood, entered a guilty plea on June 16, 2025, to one count of second-degree distribution of CSAM before Superior Court Judge Ralph Amirata. Kelly, who remains suspended without pay from the Dover Police Department, is expected to be sentenced to seven years in New Jersey State Prison on July 18, 2025.

The case began after six CyberTips were issued by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and referred to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The tips involved over 100 instances of CSAM shared from a Kik messenger account between July and October 2024. The account was traced to Kelly, who was charged on November 26, 2024.

Upon his release, Kelly will be subject to Megan’s Law registration and Parole Supervision for Life, as required under New Jersey law for sex offenses involving minors.

Prosecutor Carroll credited the ICAC Task Force, particularly Detective Danny Witek, for their role in the investigation leading to the conviction.