New Jersey Teacher Arrested on Child Pornography Charges
A former elementary school teacher in New Jersey, who performed as Santa Claus, was taken into custody on Friday for child pornography offenses.
Mark Paulino, 64, from Hamilton Township, was arrested following a brief two-day investigation, according to prosecutors. Reports indicate that evidence was retrieved from his home prior to his arrest.
The allegations against Paulino, as detailed in a criminal complaint, involve filming a child in a bedroom and subsequently sending that video to another individual.
After retiring from teaching in 2021, Paulino had expressed a desire—he called it a lifelong wish—to become Santa Claus. His website emphasizes this dream, portraying his commitment to the role.
In his teaching career, which began in 1984, Paulino taught various age groups, also taking roles as a lifeguard and swim instructor. It’s noted that he and his wife, both educators possibly at the same school, have two sons together.
Paulino’s website featured a “Text Santa” option allowing users to connect via FaceTime. During his Santa appearances, he typically distributed gifts and sweets, sang holiday songs, and listened to children’s Christmas wishes while they sat on his lap.
Legal charges against him include possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, endangering a child’s welfare, abandonment, cruelty, neglect, and fourth-degree child abuse. He is scheduled for a court appearance in Mercer County on Tuesday.
This incident is not isolated. Last year, a Santa in North Carolina faced multiple child abuse charges, with further allegations linking him to a child trafficking ring. Similar incidents also occurred in the past, such as in 2019, when a Salvation Army Santa was arrested on a prostitution warrant while collecting donations in upstate New York.
