Former exchange panel member still faces charges
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO - The case against RichardMichaelWirin, a man with ties to Marlboro, on charges that include possession of child pornography and dissemination of indecent materials has not been resolved.

A spokesperson in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office confirmed to the News Transcript last week that Wirin appeared in a New York City courtroom on Dec. 3, but said the hearing was adjourned until March 12.

Wirin is a former resident of Marlboro who started and remained a member of the Marlboro Youth Exchange Advisory Committee until the charges against him came to light earlier this year.

After the charges against Wirin were reported, he was immediately suspended from the advisory committee by the Township Council.

The advisory committee promotes and coordinates an exchange program that involves young people from Marlboro and Nanto, Japan.

Wirin was arrested on May 3 after his work laptop computer was obtained by the Computer Crimes Squad of the New York Police Department. Officials claimed to have discovered more than 20 pictures of boys between the ages of 13 and 16 in the nude being abused by other children and older men.

The charges lodged against Wirin include promoting and possessing a sexual performance by a child. Promoting includes the uploading, downloading and/or e-mailing of the images off the Internet.

Wirin posted $25,000 bail and was released following his arrest. He initially appeared

in New York State Criminal Court on Aug. 20 where he entered a not guilty plea, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

A previous article concerning Wirin's suspension from the Marlboro Youth ExchangeAdvisory Committee reported that the felony charges filed against him are punishable by up to seven years in prison.

The Marlboro Police Department stated that if someone is found guilty of a sex offense in another state, he or she still must register under the provisions of Megan's Law in New Jersey. The law requires different levels of community notification when a convicted sex offender moves into a municipality.

The New York Post initially reported the details of Wirin's arrest in its NYPD Daily Blotter section on May 8.

Wirin's suspension from the Marlboro Youth Exchange Advisory Committee was announced at a May council meeting. Council President Jeff Cantor read into the public record a copy of a letter Marlboro officials sent toWirin to notify him of his suspension.

The letter stated, "Since you have contact withMarlboro students and/or Japanese students in your capacity as a member of this committee, and given the serious nature and type of criminal charges pending against you, the Township Council is hereby suspending your appointment to the Youth Exchange Advisory Committee pending the outcome of these criminal charges."

The council directed Wirin not to have any contact with committee members or with any children who may participate in the exchange program.