Union County Teacher Sentenced to Over 22 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

Michael Hamilton, a former high school teacher, recorded illicit conduct involving a minor and possessed additional explicit materials of other victims, federal authorities report.

A Union County man who worked as a high school teacher in New Jersey has been sentenced to 275 months in federal prison—just under 23 years—for producing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Michael Hamilton, 53, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to one count of child pornography production. The sentence was handed down in Camden federal court.

According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, Hamilton admitted to engaging in sexual activity with a minor and recording the act on video. The video was later recovered by law enforcement during a search of his residence in October 2023.

In addition to this primary offense, Hamilton also received and possessed sexually explicit messages, images, and videos involving two other minor victims.

Sentencing Details

In addition to his prison term, Judge O’Hearn sentenced Hamilton to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to one of the identified victims.

The case was investigated by the FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, led by Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. Local support was provided by the Springfield Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Sussman of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit and Robert Taj Moore of the Cybercrime Unit, based in Newark.

This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative focused on combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program integrates federal, state, and local efforts to apprehend offenders and identify victims. More information can be found at justice.gov/psc.

Hamilton remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence.