24°
An affidavit for probable cause says Matthew P. Conlon touched the penis of a 20-year-old man after he fell asleep on the sofa the morning after staying the night at a friend's home.
The alleged victim told members of the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office he was sitting on a sofa next to Conlon early Sunday, Feb. 4 when he felt Conlon touch his thigh at least twice, police papers show.
The alleged victim pushed Conlon's hand off and told him to stop, indicating that he made it clear the gesture was unwelcome. That's when the 20-year-old man fell asleep and woke up to Conlon's hand under his pants and undergarments, making "skin-to-skin contact," the affidavit says.
The man got up and began hitting Conlon and yelling, waking up another man sleeping on a couch in the same room, police paperwork shows. Conlon repeatedly said he was sorry and the alleged victim was hitting him, with tears in his eyes.
Someone else in the home provided a statement saying he was upstairs when he heard banging coming from downstairs. The alleged victim ran upstairs saying Conlon "touched [his] d—k."
The third party sleeping on the couch in the same room as Conlon in the victim allegedly had to pull the victim, an otherwise non-aggressive person, away from Conlon to stop him from hitting him, the affidavit reads.
"What the f—k man? What the f—k," the alleged victim could be heard yelling, the mother of the friend whose home the men were staying at told authorities.
Conlon eventually ran out the back door and the mother of the friend drove him home.
Conlon was charged via complaint summons with Fourth Degree Criminal Sexual Contact and Harassment, a Petty Disorderly Persons Offense, following an investigation conducted by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the West Milford Police Department.
Conlon is serving a two-year term, which ends Dec. 31, 2025.
Conlon's LinkedIn page shows he served as the chief of staff to NJ Assemblyman John V. Azzariti, Jr., Aide to Passaic County Commissioner Nicolino Gallo (R-Totowa).
Azzariti in an email to Daily Voice said:
"Matt Conlon no longer works in my office. I have no further comment."
Daily Voice has also reached out to West Milford Mayor Michele Dale and Council President Kevin Goodsir for comment.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Paterson and receive free news updates.
