Sources: Lesniak, Cryan were supicious of Cohen for previous pornography incident

Former Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Roselle) was suspected of harboring pornography on his district legislative office's computer system a year before he was allegedly caught with child pornography last week, according to several sources familiar with the Cohen investigation.

According to those sources, pornographic images - which did not appear to include children - were found on computers in the District 20 legislative office about one year ago. Although Cohen's office mates - state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Elizabeth) and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) - suspected that the images came from Cohen, they could not prove it.

The sources also said that Lesniak and Cryan notified the non-partisan state Office of Legislative Services and asked them to investigate the matter.

Lesniak is an attorney and Cryan, the Democratic State Chairman, is the Union County Undersheriff.

Both legislators declined to comment.

"I would never comment on that as part of an ongoing investigation," Cryan told PolitickerNJ.com.

Lesniak would only point to the joint statement he issued with Cryan on Thursday evening that mentioned that they had been "instructed to not make any further comments regarding this very serious matter."

Lesniak and Cryan said that they notified OLS when they became aware of child pornography on Cohen's computer. In turn, OLS notified the state Attorney General's office.

Albert Porroni, the OLS Executive Director, could not immediately be reached for comment.