Burlington County child care worker charged with soliciting child pornography

SOUTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (WPVI) -- A Burlington County child care worker has been charged with soliciting child pornography while posing as a teenager online, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.

Kristopher Trela, 23, was arrested on Aug. 8 after authorities received multiple tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about suspicious online activity.

Investigators say Trela used platforms such as Discord, Snapchat and Instagram to pose as an underage girl, sending explicit photos and videos and requesting the same from underage boys.

He is also accused of trading child sexual abuse material with other men.

Trela was employed by Champions, a before- and after-school care provider in Southampton Township that also operates a summer camp.

A spokesperson for Champions said Trela was terminated immediately after the company learned of his arrest. The spokesperson added that all employees are required to pass state and federal background checks.

Authorities said there is no indication that any children in the Champions program were victimized.

Neighbors reported seeing law enforcement search Trela's home in Pemberton last week.

"I came back from the store and there were multiple police officers out here," said one anonymous neighbor.

He said Trela's presence in the neighborhood had made his family uneasy.

"My wife used to say, 'I have a funny feeling - don't let our granddaughter play outside.' She likes to run up and down the sidewalk. She had a correct feeling," he said.

John Hughes, a resident of Southampton Township, expressed concern about Trela's release following a detention hearing earlier this week.

"I don't think he should be walking around on the street," Hughes said.

Dawn Rozek, another local resident, commented on the broader issue of online exploitation: "It's just more prominent now because of social media and things like that."

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case or who believes they may have been victimized to come forward.

Attempts to reach Trela for comment were unsuccessful.