Central Jersey Man Who Raped Two Girls Over Several Years Sentenced, Prosecutors Say Central Jersey Man Who Raped Two Girls Over Several Years Sentenced, Prosecutors Say
Central Jersey Man Who Raped Two Girls Over Several Years Sentenced, Prosecutors Say An Eatontown man will spend at least four decades in prison after he was convicted of raping two girls over several years, authorities said. Gerell Schmitt, 36, was sentenced on Tuesday, July 9 to 48 years in state prison, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Monday, July 15. He was charged in several sexual assaults of two young girls that started a little more than a decade ago. A relative of the two victims first reported the abuse to Eatontown police in September 2020. Both girls were under 13 at the time of the sexual assaults. Investiga…
Kids Sexually Assaulted In NJ Church Bathroom, Police Say Kids Sexually Assaulted In NJ Church Bathroom, Police Say
Kids Sexually Assaulted In NJ Church Bathroom, Police Say A 68-year-old Plainfield man has been charged with sexually assaulting two minors in a church in North Plainfield last month, authorities said. On Sunday, June 23, at 4:38 p.m., police responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a sexual assault of a minor earlier that day, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and North Plainfield Chief of Police William Parenti said.  Pierre Joseph, the suspect, was detained at the church while they awaited police, authorities said While Joseph was transported for questi…
Another Female NJ Teacher Charged With Having Sexual Relationship With Student Another Female NJ Teacher Charged With Having Sexual Relationship With Student
Another Female NJ Teacher Charged With Having Sexual Relationship With Student Yet another New Jersey teacher has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. Julie Rizzitello, 36, submitted her resignation letter as a Wall Township High School teacher earlier this week amid being criminal charges stemming from the sexual assault of a student, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. The Brick Township resident has been charged with two counts of second-degree Sexual Assault, third-degree Witness Tampering, and three counts of fourth-degree Criminal Sexual Contact, Santiago said Thursday, July 4 alongside Wall Township Police Chie…
South Jersey Man, 58, Gets Prison For Sexually Assaulting 5 Girls Under Age Of 13: Prosecutor South Jersey Man, 58, Gets Prison For Sexually Assaulting 5 Girls Under Age Of 13: Prosecutor
South Jersey Man, 58, Gets Prison For Sexually Assaulting 5 Girls Under Age Of 13: Prosecutor A 58-year-old man from Vineland was sentenced to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison for sexually assaulting five girls under the age of 13 over a 10-year period, authorities said. Jesus Figueroa was sentenced on Friday, June 28, according to Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae. Figueroa must serve a minimum of 85% of the 10 years before being considered eligible for parole, she said. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and be subject to parole supervision for life. On Sept. 8, 2022, Figueroa, was charged w…
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors A state trooper was accused of trying to pay for sex from someone he believed was a teen girl and asking for sexual pictures, authorities said. Shane Dempsey, 31, of Brick Township, was arrested in Ewing on Monday, July 1, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. Investigators said Dempsey contacted an undercover detective on the social media app Whisper earlier in 2024.  Prosecutors said Dempsey asked for "sexually explicit images" from the detective, who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He also said he would pay money for a sex act fro…
Special Education Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Student, Monmouth Prosecutor Says Special Education Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Student, Monmouth Prosecutor Says
Special Education Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Student, Monmouth Prosecutor Says A special education teacher in Monmouth County was accused of sexually assaulting a student, authorities said. Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 43, of Jackson Township, was charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced her arrest in a news release on Saturday, June 29.  Prosecutors said Havemann-Niedrach is a teacher at Freehold Intermediate School and according to her LinkedIn profile, she teaches special education in the borough's district. He…
NJ Man Who Sexually Assaulted 8-Year-Old Gets 4 Years In Prison, Prosecutor Says NJ Man Who Sexually Assaulted 8-Year-Old Gets 4 Years In Prison, Prosecutor Says
NJ Man Who Sexually Assaulted 8-Year-Old Gets 4 Years In Prison, Prosecutor Says A 59-year-old New Jersey resident was sentenced to four years in state prison on Friday, June 14 for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old in 2022, authorities said. In March 2022, police began investigating after an 8-year-old said Raul Elias of Manville sexually assaulted her, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said.  Elias was subsequently convicted of endangering the welfare of a child in March 2024 after a three-day trial, authorities said. As part of his sentence, Elias must register as a sex offender and be on parole supervision for the rest of his life.  When sentencing…
Former Ocean City Lifeguard Sentenced After Sexual Misconduct Investigation Former Ocean City Lifeguard Sentenced After Sexual Misconduct Investigation
Former Ocean City Lifeguard Sentenced After Sexual Misconduct Investigation A former Ocean City lifeguard and Atlantic County teacher avoided jail time after he was accused of sexual misconduct, authorities said. Jonathan Howell, 42, of Marmora, was sentenced on Tuesday, June 18 to four years probation, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said in a news release. Howell was a member of the Ocean City Beach Patrol and a teacher in the Pleasantville School District. Investigators said social media posts in April 2021 made several accusations against members of Ocean City Beach Patrol, including Howell. "Since that time the prosecuto…
NJ Restaurant Owner Preyed On Job Applicant, Sexually Assaulted Others, Authorities Say NJ Restaurant Owner Preyed On Job Applicant, Sexually Assaulted Others, Authorities Say
NJ Restaurant Owner Preyed On Job Applicant, Sexually Assaulted Others, Authorities Say The owner of three restaurants in Trenton has been arrested for multiple sexual assaults including a job applicant, authorities said. Gerald Araya, 44, of Ewing, was arrested in Trenton on Wednesday, June 19, according to Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, Lawrence Township Police Chief Christopher Longo and Trenton Police Director Steve Wilson.  He is charged with five counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, one count of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of first-degree kidnapping, two counts o…
NJ Amtrak Employee Lied To Feds Investigating Sleeper Car Sex Assault, DOJ Says NJ Amtrak Employee Lied To Feds Investigating Sleeper Car Sex Assault, DOJ Says
NJ Amtrak Employee Lied To Feds Investigating Sleeper Car Sex Assault, DOJ Says An Amtrak employee from New Jersey has been charged in a federal indictment for lying to federal investigators questioning him about a sexual assault he allegedly carried out on a passenger during a trip from Washington DC to Chicago, authorities said. Maurice Driver, 35, of Gloucester City, NJ, was charged with lying to a federal agent in a five-count indictment unsealed on Tuesday, June 4, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Mike Waters of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General Eastern Area Field Office announced. Driver had been working as a lead service atte…
Special Education Teacher Sexually Touched 14 Students In South Jersey: Prosecutor Special Education Teacher Sexually Touched 14 Students In South Jersey: Prosecutor
Special Education Teacher Sexually Touched 14 Students In South Jersey: Prosecutor A special education teacher who was charged last year with sexually touching seven children has been charged with touching an additional seven students, authorities said. Vincent Root, 59, of Philadelphia, a teacher at Chatsworth Elementary School, has been charged with 14 counts of sexual assault and 14 counts of child endangerment, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw The investigation began in September 2023 after a student accused Root of touching him inappropriately during previous school years, the prosecutor said. The investigation revealed that the victi…
NJ Man Convicted Of Raping 12-Year-Old Girl He Met Online, Prosecutors Say NJ Man Convicted Of Raping 12-Year-Old Girl He Met Online, Prosecutors Say
NJ Man Convicted Of Raping 12-Year-Old Girl He Met Online, Prosecutors Say A 22-year-old Piscataway man was convicted on Tuesday, May 14 of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl he'd met online in 2021, authorities said. In July 2021, a 12-year-old girl said she was sexually assaulted in Bound Brook by Lenic Galvan, a man she met on social media, Somerset County Prosecutor John  McDonald said. Galvan arranged for transportation for the girl before he sexually assaulted her, authorities said. Following an investigation and DNA test, Galvan was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and was convicted of sexual assault by contact and endangering th…