Haledon man charged with sexual assault of 11-year-old girl

⚠️ A 23-year-old Haledon man faces criminal sexual assault charges involving an 11-year-old girl.

➡️ Prosecutors say the case began on Snapchat and escalated to in-person threats and assault.

🔴The defendant was being held at Monmouth County Jail ahead of an Oct. 26 detention hearing.

FREEHOLD – A 23-year-old Passaic County man has been accused of raping an 11-year-old girl, after pressuring her to send him nude photos on a social media app, then blackmailing the child with those same photos.

Adolfo A. Cruz-Garcia, of Haledon, was charged with first-degree counts of aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, as well as second-degree aggravated sexual extortion and sexual assault, and third-degree endangering.

Cruz-Garcia was arrested on Tuesday, after an investigation started earlier this month by Asbury Park Police and members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Bureau.

Prosecutors say Snapchat contact led to threats

On Oct. 2, Cruz-Garcia made contact with the victim on Snapchat, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

Despite knowing how young the girl was, he is accused of asking her for nude photos and offering her money in exchange for the performance of sexual acts.

Just hours later, Cruz-Garcia arrived outside the victim’s home in Asbury Park, threatening to share the nude photos with her family and friends if she did not come outside, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said.

After luring her into the rear of his vehicle, he repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim before dropping the girl back off near her home, Santiago said.

Haledon man held ahead of detention hearing

Cruz-Garcia was being held at Monmouth County Jail, pending a detention hearing set for Oct. 26.

Prosecutors would be requesting that he remain in jail while the case proceeds.

Anyone with potential information about Cruz-Garcia’s activities was urged to contact MCPO Detective Stephanie Regina at 732-431-7160, Ext. 8791 or Asbury Park Police Department Detective Terrence McGhee at 732-502-5781.

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