FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Raymond Worrall
PHONE: (201) 320-3550
EMAIL: rworrall@hcpo.org
DATE: Monday, January 30, 2023
WEST NEW YORK MAN PREVIOUSLY CHARGED WITH FACILITATING CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL NOW FACING CHARGES OF AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force have filed additional charges against Joseph Suarez, age 31, of West New York following an ongoing Special Victims Unit investigation into sexual crimes involving a 4-year-old girl.
Joseph Suarez has been charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(1) and Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(1) and 2C:5-2a(1). He was arrested on these charges on January 27, 2023 at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Jersey City before being returned to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance.
On January 10, 2023, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information that child sex abuse material was being created and shared through the social media platform Discord. The investigation revealed Joseph Suarez communicated with a 13-year-old boy out of state and instructed him to provide images and/or videos of himself committing sex acts on a 4-year-old girl. Following a court authorized search of Joseph Suarez’s residence, over 1,000 files of child sex abuse material were seized.
On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Suarez at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus following the initial investigation into child sex abuse material being shared through social media. He was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child/Facilitating Child Sex Abuse Material in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(3); Endangering the Welfare of a Child/Distribution of Child Sex Abuse Material in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(a)(i); and Endangering the Welfare of a Child/Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(b). The State filed a detention motion in this matter.
Prosecutor Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Special Victims Unit, In Court Unit, Narcotics Task Force, Cyber Crimes Unit, and Crime Scene Unit, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and the West New York Police Department for assisting with the investigation.
Anyone wishing to report a sex crime should call the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) at 201-915-1234. The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6)