A former Mercer County, New Jersey, teacher who dressed as Santa Claus for community events faces charges of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.

Mark Paulino, 64, of Hamilton Township , faces second- and third-degree child sexual abuse material charges, as well as a fourth-degree count of child abuse, abandonment, cruelty and neglect, according to court documents.

The prosecutor’s office began its investigation on Dec. 4 after receiving information that an individual in Hamilton Township, who was later identified as Paulino, uploaded multiple files of suspected child sexual abuse material to the internet.

A criminal complaint alleges Paulino filmed a child in a bedroom and then saved and emailed the recording.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Paulino’s ho

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