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Todd Merinuk of West Deptford was charged with two counts of attempted sexual assault, three counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child and one count of attempted luring, according to Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri.
About three weeks ago, detectives with the prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit investigating individuals trying to exploit children online connected with a subject via an anonymous social media platform.
The individual, later identified as Merunik, began chatting with a detective who was working in an undercover capacity, posing as a 14-year-old girl, Onofrio said.
The chat included multiple sexually explicit messages, a photo sent by Merinuk of an adult male penis, and statements by Merinuk that he wanted to meet in person to engage in various sexual acts, Onofrio said.
On Thursday, March 16, Merinuk sent a ride-share vehicle to an address in Mercer County to pick up the “14-year-old female” with whom he believed he was conversing in order to take her to his location in Gloucester County, Onofrio said.
Believing the victim had arrived at his location via ride share, Merinuk appeared and was taken into custody without incident by.members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the prosecutor said.
Onofri urged anyone with information about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children to please contact his Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit at (609) 989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at (888) 648-6007.
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