Four people in New Jersey were arrested Wednesday for allegedly operating an at-home pornography ring that allegedly involved filming the sexual assault of a 7-year-old resident.
According to a statement from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the four suspects, Sean Allen, 51, Marina Volz, 30, Ashley Romero, 26, and Dulcinea Gnecco, 19, were arrested on aggravated sexual assault and child endangerment charges following a five-month investigation conducted by Somerset and Franklin County authorities. The Somerset Prosecutor’s Office got involved in January, after reportedly receiving word that the child was living with Volz, who was producing pornography with her roommates.
Police executed a search warrant and confirmed that the child was living in the home where the pornography was being produced. They also determined that the child was exposed to the sexually explicit materials, the press release said.
Somerset County prosecutor Michael Robertson also alleged that an examination of seized electronic devices revealed several sexually-explicit photos and videos depicting the 7-year-old child. New Jersey’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency reportedly removed the victim from the home.
Meanwhile, the four suspects remain jailed at Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing. Their relationship to one another and the victim is unclear at this point in time.
[Featured image: Sean Allen, Marina Volz, Dulcinea Gnecco, and Ashley Romero/Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office]
