N.J. Fire Chief Arrested for Distributing Child Pornography

June 11--A volunteer fire chief in Camden County "abused the trust placed in him" by using his fire station computer to share files of child pornography, authorities said.

John Terruso, 44, chief of the Audubon Park Volunteer Fire Company, was arrested at the station Wednesday evening and charged with distribution and possession of child pornography. He has also been suspended from his position.

Investigators seized four laptop computers and other electronic devices and found more than 1,000 files of suspected child pornography, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said. Investigators traced the data to Terruso after monitoring a file-sharing network for child pornography, authorities said. They allege that he made the images available for others to download.

"We charge that Terruso sordidly abused the trust placed in him as fire chief by viewing and sharing child pornography at the fire station," Acting Attorney General John Hoffman said in a statement.

Audubon Park Mayor Larry Pennock, who is one of the borough's 35 volunteer firefighters, said the allegations stunned and frustrated him.

"I'm very sad and I'm very angry," he said. "And I'm very discouraged that something like this could happen."

Pennock said Terruso had been chief for about four years and that he was elected into the position by the firefighters. Terruso performed successfully in the role, Pennock said, but apparently "hid his demons well."

Pennock said Terruso's actions reflected on one individual and not the whole fire department, which he said has "outstanding" firefighters.

"I know in the end this is going to be the reflection on my firehouse," he said. "And it's the exact opposite of what it should be."

No one answered the phone at the fire house Thursday afternoon, and a message was not returned. Pennock said the assistant chief would serve as chief in the interim.

On his Facebook page, Terruso, of Marlton, said in an undated description of himself that he attended Villanova University and loved the rush of running into burning buildings. He also said he had a girlfriend and two sons, whom he described as "the best thing to happen to me."

Terruso was being held at the Camden County Jail on $150,000 bail.

mboren@phillynews.com

856-779-3829 @borenmc

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