Thompson, 57, faces up to 20 years in prison, the maximum sentence, if convicted of the most serious offense - traveling overseas and taping himself having sex with a Russian boy, then transporting the tape back to the United States.
On the tape, authorities said, a naked Thompson can be seen performing a sex act on the boy, estimated to be 13 to 16 years old. Thompson then offered the boy money to perform a sex act on him, but the video does not show whether the boy complied, authorities said.
The grand jury also indicted Thompson on a single child pornography count that carries a maximum five-year term.
"As a Superior Court judge, this defendant was empowered to protect society's weakest," said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. "Instead, he is charged with victimizing them in a most horrendous way."
Thompson's attorney, Leonard Baker of Haddonfield, said his client would plead not guilty. "We are going to contest these charges vigorously," Baker said.
Baker would not discuss evidence he has reviewed or possible defenses. But he said "it's still an open question" whether the most serious charge - crossing international boundaries to produce child pornography - should apply to Thompson's case.
Before his arrest, Thompson served as a criminal, civil and municipal judge in Camden County for two decades and was widely respected in South Jersey legal circles. He lost his right leg in combat during the Vietnam War, earned a Purple Heart and a Silver Star for valor, and was known for helping disabled children learn to ski.
On the bench, Thompson presided over dozens of Megan's Law cases involving sexual crimes against children. After his arrest, three state judges were appointed to conduct a special review of those cases.
The judges concluded that "none of the Megan's Law cases was mishandled in any way," said Winnie Comfort, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Supreme Court.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana V. Carrig, Thompson used special software to try to hide his identity online and kept data on the age of consent for all 50 states and other countries. She said he also possessed a video showing a boy crying while being assaulted.
In August, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Joel B. Rosen ordered Thompson freed on $2 million and set severe restrictions on his movement. Rosen ordered Thompson to live with his 82-year-old mother and wear an electronic bracelet connected to a global positioning system that tracks his movements at all times.
Contact staff writer John Shiffman at 856-779-3857 or jshiffman@phillynews.com.
