Kevin Farrell, 60, of Village Drive in Basking Ridge, was arrested in his home early last Friday morning after allegedly downloading multiple files of children under age 16 engaging in prohibited sexual acts, according to an announcement by Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano, members of the prosecutor's office and township police chief Brian Bobowicz.

In a news release, Soriano said Farrell was arrested as a result of an investigation initiated by the Somerset County Internet Crimes Against Children. The task force consisting of detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office and the Somerset County Sheriff's Office.

During the month of September, detectives located and downloaded multiple files containing children under the age of 16 engaged in prohibited sexual acts from the defendant's computer, the release stated.

Soriano said that at about 6:35 am. on Nov. 18, detectives executed a search warrant on the defendant's residence. During the execution of the warrant, the files previously downloaded by Task Force detectives allegedly were found stored on the hard drive of defendant Farrell's computer, the release said. Farrell was arrested with the assistance of Bernards Township detectives and lodged in the Somerset County Jail, the release said.

Farrell has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, second degree and endangering the welfare of a child, fourth degree, the release said. Bail was set by Superior Court Judge Robert B. Reed at $25,000, the release said.