Eric Komar's final Jewish folk-rock performance for children for the foreseeable future was streamed live on his Facebook page September 16.
Komar began the performance by saying, "If you kids want to come up front, you can dance," adding that their parents would not mind. Many of the children did so, smiles covering their faces as Komar delivered the same type of performance he has given at synagogues and Jewish community centers across the country. Three days later, FBI agents led Komar, 46, who also teaches music to children from pre-school age to high school, away from his Hillsborough, New Jersey home in handcuffs after arresting him for receiving and distributing pornographic photos of children the same age as those who had danced in front of the stage.
Undercover operation led to Eric Komar's arrest
A probable cause affidavit filed in the US District Court for New Jersey reveals that an undercover FBI operation led to the search warrant that uncovered Komar's hidden child pornography library. An undercover agent came across an IP address that belonged to Komar's computer while accessing a person-to-person file-sharing program and saw that three pornographic images of prepubescent girls had been downloaded. The search warrant uncovered a desktop computer that Komar used to download the illegal images, according to the affidavit, as well as a thumb drive, a laptop and an external hard drive with hidden child porn files. Buried on Komar's devices were thousands of child pornography photographs and videos, the affidavit indicated.
Komar did not attempt to deny the allegations when FBI agents questioned him, according to the probable cause affidavit, admitting that he masturbated daily to the photos and videos of children. Court records indicate Komar waived his preliminary hearing and will remain behind bars for the time being, though he will have the opportunity to ask bond at a later date.
Komar, government, working toward plea agreement
An assistant US attorney filed a motion asking that no hearings be held in the case until at least November as the government and lawyers representing Komar will attempt to reach a plea agreement. According to federal guidelines, those who are convicted of receiving and distributing child pornography or plead guilty to the charge must receive at least five years in a federal prison without the possibility of parole and could be sentenced to as much as 20 years. Komar could also be fined as much as a quarter of a million dollars.
