A New Jersey man was taken into custody for sex offenses and other charges after police investigating a possible car accident found him in the company of a 16-year-old girl on March 11. The suspect, age 32, met the teen online.
According to reports, Florham Park police received a report about a damaged vehicle sitting in the parking lot of a local recreation facility. Responding officers approached the vehicle and found the suspect with the teen. They said that they detected the smell of alcohol coming from inside the car and determined the suspect had backed into a dumpster in another parking lot. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, DWI, reckless driving, failure to report an accident, leaving the scene of an accident, driving with a suspended license and providing false information to a police officer.
According to investigators, the suspect was in a relationship with the teen and the two exchanged sexually explicit photos. He was further charged with the third-degree crimes of endangering the welfare of a child, possession of child pornography and exhibiting obscene material to a child. Bail was set at $20,000.
People who have been charged with a sex crime can face severe consequences if they are convicted. Due to the sensitive nature of the alleged crime, they can also face social stigma that leads to the loss of job and educational opportunities. It can therefore be advisable to obtain the assistance of a criminal defense attorney and then develop a strategy to fight the allegations.
Source: Daily Record, "Alleged sex offender nabbed with teen in Florham Park," William Westhoven, March 14, 2016