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A family member interrupted the planned liaison and alerted authorities who arrested Nicholas G. Clark, a 23-year-old package handler from Newark, DE, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said Tuesday.
The chats had gone on for nearly two months before Clark planned what was to be an April 5 meeting, Calo said.
Thanks to the relative, a detective from the prosecutor’s Cyber Crimes Unit took control of the girl’s online accounts and continued the chats.
“Clark again engaged in sexually explicit dialogue believing he was still speaking with the juvenile” and “discussed plans to meet with [her] again,” Calo said.
The Cyber Crimes detectives went to New Castle last month and, assisted by local police there, executed a warranted search of Clark’s home. They then obtained an arrest warrant from a judge.
New Castle County police arrested Clark, who posted $60,000 bail and was released by a Delaware judge pending extradition proceedings.
The 5-foot-11-inch, 300-pound Clark surrendered on Tuesday to detectives at Calo’s Paramus office to answer charges of luring, attempted aggravated sexual assault and attempted child endangerment. He was sent to the Bergen County Jail.
A detention hearing and first appearance were to be scheduled.
Calo praised New Milford police for their work on the case.
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