Post by LadyBlue on Aug 16, 2007 18:51:58 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]NJ Police Officer Arrested on Child-Sex Charges
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A police officer was arrested Thursday and charged with soliciting someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl for sex.
Mark Fernandes, 29, who lives with his wife in Midland Park, was charged with attempted sexual assault of a minor, and endangering the welfare of a minor, authorities said. He was suspended without pay.
Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale said Fernandes used an America Online instant messaging service last month to communicate with someone he thought was a child, using the screen name ``hausblack'' to give her instructions on how to commit sexual acts.
The person with whom he was communicating was actually an undercover detective.
``Nothing is more upsetting than seeing a member of law enforcement break the laws of our state,'' Speziale said. ``Children are raised to trust and respect police officers, not think that they might be a sexual predator.''
Fernandes was being held Thursday at the Passaic County Jail on $50,000 bail. It could not immediately be determined if he had yet hired a lawyer.
No one immediately returned a call left at Fernandes' residence.
Fernandes has worked for the Clifton Police Department's patrol division for the past two years. Before that, he was a New York City police officer for three years, authorities said.
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A police officer was arrested Thursday and charged with soliciting someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl for sex.
Mark Fernandes, 29, who lives with his wife in Midland Park, was charged with attempted sexual assault of a minor, and endangering the welfare of a minor, authorities said. He was suspended without pay.
Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale said Fernandes used an America Online instant messaging service last month to communicate with someone he thought was a child, using the screen name ``hausblack'' to give her instructions on how to commit sexual acts.
The person with whom he was communicating was actually an undercover detective.
``Nothing is more upsetting than seeing a member of law enforcement break the laws of our state,'' Speziale said. ``Children are raised to trust and respect police officers, not think that they might be a sexual predator.''
Fernandes was being held Thursday at the Passaic County Jail on $50,000 bail. It could not immediately be determined if he had yet hired a lawyer.
No one immediately returned a call left at Fernandes' residence.
Fernandes has worked for the Clifton Police Department's patrol division for the past two years. Before that, he was a New York City police officer for three years, authorities said.