A Jersey City man, a former teacher who was part of a “Baby Rapist” chat, has admitted in federal court to possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney’s Office Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Matthew Ozol, 40, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Evelyn Padin to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography after being charged in August.
In August 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ozol’s home.
Ozol’s text messages showed that since 2022, Ozol had sent and received messages on encrypted applications expressing a desire to sexually abuse children, including in a chat group titled “Baby Rapist.”
Law enforcement found more than 100 images and 75 videos on Ozol’s electronic devices depicting child pornography, including many involving sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for August.
Lamparello credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please click here.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
