Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) announced today that a Passaic County man has been charged after he allegedly used a hidden camera to record children in his bathroom and attempted to meet with who he believed to be a 13-year-old child.
Bradford Flaker, 42, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child (1st degree), luring and attempted sexual assault (both 2nd degree) and multiple counts of manufacturing, possessing, and distributing child sexual abuse material (2nd degree).
“This defendant is charged with allegedly using a hidden camera to secretly record unsuspecting children in his home, sharing those images with others, and attempting to meet a child to sexually assault them,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Fortunately, law enforcement stepped in and arrested the defendant before he could do further harm.”
“We are always working to find sexual predators and stop them before they can harm any children,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “This defendant is a prime example of coordinated law enforcement efforts in this space. We will continue to use all available enforcement tools to stop this criminal behavior.”
“The nature of these allegations is both reprehensible and deeply disturbing,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “The exploitation of children in any form is among the most despicable crimes imaginable, and those who engage in such predatory behavior pose a grave threat to the safety and well-being of our communities. There is no higher priority than protecting our children, and we will use every resource at our disposal to ensure that individuals who seek to harm them are identified, apprehended, and prosecuted.”
On May 21, 2025, a New Jersey State Police undercover officer acting as a 13-year-old girl on a mobile messaging app was contacted by a user identified on the app as “SKIDDERTECH3.” That individual, the defendant, 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 Child Sexual Abuse Exploitation Material. The investigation also allegedly revealed chat logs regarding Flaker placing hidden cameras in his bathroom to record children in the bathroom at his house.
During the undercover chat Flaker also allegedly arranged to meet with the undercover 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 was read his Miranda rights and, during a recorded interview, allegedly admitted communicating and meeting with what he believed was a 13-year-old, recording juvenile girls with a hidden camera in his bathroom, possessing and distributing images of child pornography, and getting sexual gratification from the chats and recorded videos.
The prosecution is being handled by DCJ Deputy Attorney General Michael Forte under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Lisa Rastelli.
First-degree crimes carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000.
Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
