British Man Sentenced to 140 Months for NJ Child Sex Plot

Stephen Hudson traveled from England to New Jersey to sexually abuse two young girls, authorities say.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A 54-year-old British citizen was sentenced to nearly 12 years in federal prison for possessing over 1,700 images of child sexual abuse and traveling to New Jersey to engage in illicit sexual conduct with two young girls. Hudson had communicated with undercover agents and agreed to pay $1,200 to sexually abuse the minors before being arrested at the arranged meeting location.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse through initiatives like Project Safe Childhood. It also raises concerns about the lengths some predators will go to abuse vulnerable children, even traveling internationally to do so.

The details

In April and May 2022, Hudson communicated with undercover agents using an encrypted email account to make arrangements to sexually abuse two young girls in New Jersey. He agreed to travel from Massachusetts to New Jersey and pay $1,200 to engage in sexual acts with the minors and provide them with illicit drugs and alcohol. On May 6, 2022, Hudson traveled to the agreed-upon location in New Jersey, gave the $1,200 to undercover law enforcement agents, and was then taken into custody. A search of Hudson's laptop revealed 1,751 images of child sexual abuse.

  • From April 14 to May 6, 2022, Hudson communicated with undercover agents.
  • On May 6, 2022, Hudson traveled to New Jersey and was arrested.

The players

Stephen Hudson

A 54-year-old British citizen who was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography and traveling to New Jersey to sexually abuse two young girls.

Department of Justice

The federal agency that launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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What’s next

In addition to his prison sentence, Hudson will also be under five years of supervised release.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, and the lengths some predators will go to abuse vulnerable children, even traveling internationally to do so.