Ridgewood Police Officer Charged With Trying To Arrange Sex With What He Thought Was Girl, 15

A Ridgewood police officer remained jailed after authorities said he had sex chats on Tinder with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl but was really an undercover detective with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

Peter J. Tuchol Jr.
Photo Credit: *Boyd A. Loving photo / INSET: Courtesy BCPO*

Jerry DeMarco

04/16/2019 1:11 p.m.

Peter J. Tuchol Jr., 28, "arranged to meet with the purported 15-year-old girl to engage in sex," Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said Tuesday.

A Monday night raid on Tuchol's home by Calo's Cyber Crimes Unit and local police turned up evidence, as well as steroids, a hypodermic syringe and medical drugs without prescriptions, he said.

A judge in Hackensack on Thursday allowed Tuchol's release with restrictions -- including supervised interactions with any children and no activity on dating apps -- until he's either tried, pleads guilty or has the charges dropped.

The three-year village department veteran, who is also a bodybuilder, is charged with sexual assault, luring/enticing a child by various means, child endangerment and possession of the drugs and syringe, records show.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Ridgewood and receive free news updates.