NJ man charged in Idaho teen rape

🔴Philip Rodriguez entered the home in Caldwell, Idaho early Sunday morning

🔴The 16-year-old girl knew Rodriguez

🔴Rodriguez was arrested in nearby Boise several hours later

A 27-year-old New Jersey man was charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in an Idaho home early Sunday morning.

City of Caldwell police said the teen knew Philip Rodriguez, who was gone from the residence when officers arrived. Rodriguez was later found in nearby Boise and charged with sexual battery on a minor child 16 to 17 years of age.

Police said Rodriquez is from Basking Ridge.

Rodriguez told police he was in Caldwell on a "personal trip" and was in town earlier in 2023.

Praise for the victim

Caldwell police chief Rex R. Ingram praised the victim for coming forward.

"I would like to commend our victim who I consider a survivor! She trusted the Caldwell Police Department to be her beacon of light and ray of hope so we could do our part to keep her and our community safe,” Ingram said in a statement.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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