Cruise ship dancer from NYC arrested on child porn charges

A cruise ship dancer from the Big Apple has been arrested in Florida for allegedly possessing and distributing child sex abuse material — with victims as young as 2 years old engaged in sexual acts with adults.
Jamaal Wade, 26, of Washington Heights, was arrested by US Marshals in Broward County on Sunday and charged with receipt, possession and distribution of child porn, WPLG reported.
It was not immediately clear if the arrest was made before or after a cruise.
“Wade distributed files containing sexually explicit images of minors from/on a computer in New York, New York via the Telegram messaging application,” states a complaint filed by the Southern District Court of New York obtained by The Post.
The victims were described as “prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age.”
4 Jamaal Wade was listed in a bio as a performer with Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines. USDC SDNY
An investigation was launched in October after federal agents seized the phone of a user of the messaging app Telegram. Wade allegedly sent that person child sexual abuse material depicting victims as young as 2.
The recipient told authorities he had gone to Wade’s Manhattan apartment to view the illicit material with him. He “also provided the username of an Instagram account used by Jamaal,” the filing says.
In January, the person sent the covert FBI employee eight videos “depicting male children between the ages of approximately four and eight years old engaged in sexual activities, including oral and anal penetration, with adult males,” it adds.
4 Jamaal Wade USDC SDNY
Wade also told the man he had been arrested in Detroit for conduct “while on tour.”
Detroit police records confirmed that he was arrested on Feb. 18, 2020, after being accused of molesting an 11-year-old boy. It was unclear whether he was convicted.
The suspect has allegedly admitted in online chats to molesting a boy while “on tour with a performance group.”
4 The suspect was arrested in Florida and faces extradition. Deonté Lee/BFA.com/Shutterstock
During the probe, a federal agent began chatting with Wade, who sent them several videos of young boys being raped and sexually abused, according to the court filing.
He also mentioned working on cruise ships as a dancer, though the document does not mention which company.
But in a 2020 profile posted by a staffing site, Jamaal Wade is described as having worked for both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines, as well as on stage.
4 Jamaal Wade Deonté Lee/BFA.com/Shutterstock
In a March 22 chat, Wade reportedly told the FBI agent that he had “brought his ‘collection’” of child sexual abuse material “on board the ship.”
He was charged with ​one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
He could face up to 20 years behind bars on each count if convicted.
As of Tuesday, Wade remained in the Paul Rein Detention Facility in Pompano Beach awaiting extradition to Manhattan, WPLG reported.
The Post has reached out to Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines for comment.