Passaic County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Recording Juveniles with Hidden Camera, Attempting to Meet with 13-Year-Old

TRENTON – Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the New Jersey State Police announced today that a Passaic County man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for using a hidden camera to record children in his bathroom and attempting to meet with an individual whom he believed to be a 13-year-old child.

Bradford Flaker, 43, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to first-degree manufacturing child sexual abuse or exploitation material (CSAEM), first-degree distribution of CSAEM, first-degree possession of CSAEM, and second-degree luring.

“The 20-year prison term this defendant was sentenced to today reflects the gravity of his crimes,” said Attorney General Davenport. “He used a hidden camera to secretly record children, whose images he then shared with others. Finding and stopping sexual predators is always a priority of this office, and it always will be.”

“This prosecution is a prime example of the benefit of coordinated law enforcement efforts in this space,” said Interim DCJ Director Martha Nye. “We will use every enforcement tool available to us to pursue those will seek to abuse and exploit children and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The defendant’s state prison sentence underscores the seriousness of these offenses, which involved the exploitation of minors and resulted in guilty pleas to multiple first‑ and second‑degree crimes,” said Jeanne Hengemuhle, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Exploiting children is an abhorrent offense, and those who engage in such conduct must be held fully accountable under the law. We will continue to use every investigative tool available to uncover these offenses and safeguard children across New Jersey. We remain resolute in our commitment to protecting children and pursuing justice for the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

On May 21, 2025, an individual using the online moniker “Flaker” contacted another user he believed to be a 13-year-old girl on a mobile messaging app; the 13-year-old girl was actually a New Jersey State Police undercover officer. Flaker indicated to the undercover officer that he “liked young girls.” The undercover officer communicated with Flaker by text message due to Flaker’s messaging app account being banned. An investigation into the banned account found 115 video files and 12 image files containing CSAEM. The investigation also revealed chat logs indicating Flaker placed hidden cameras in his bathroom to record children in the bathroom at his house.

During the undercover chat, Flaker also arranged to meet with the undercover officer at a park in Belmar, New Jersey, where he said he was planning to sexually assault the “minor.” Flaker communicated with the undercover officer during his travels and arrived at the predetermined location, where he was arrested.

Flaker eventually admitted to the acts, to which he ultimately pled guilty in court.

The prosecution was handled by DCJ Deputy Attorney General Michael Forte under the supervision of Unit Chief Lisa Rastelli.

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