The Nutley volunteer fire chief has been arrested after admitting on video he tried to meet a 14-year-old boy for sex in North Bergen, authorities said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Henry Meola, 33, of Nutley, is charged with one count of luring and attempted endangering the welfare of a child, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement.
He was arrested at his home in Nutley, transported to the North Bergen Police Department, and is being held at the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance.
The investigation determined Meola arranged to meet an individual, who he believed to be a 14-year-old, for sexual activity in North Bergen, according to a YouTube livestream posted by OBL Nation last week – a group that outs sexual predators.
A small clip of the video has since been uploaded to Instagram, which contains some sexually explicit language. They have also announced they will be uploading a YouTube video about the incident at 3:30 p.m.
“So last night we caught the Chief of the Nutley fire department trying to have sex with a 14 year old boy & it was one of the most heart wrenching catches I’ve done. My guy confessed to EVERYTHING. & ultimately got detained & all electronics seized by the amazing detectives we worked with last night!,” OBL Nation wrote in the post.
“Got word from nutley detectives that the prosecutor is going to prosecute. We’re going to go in today to provide Offical [sic] statements & more electronic evidence to cooperate with the investigation so we can turn it into an arrest!”
Suarez credited the North Bergen Police Department, the HCPO Special Victims Unit, and the Nutley Police Department with the investigation and arrest.
TapInto Nutley first reported that the Nutley Police Department was looking into the incident last week.
Anyone wishing to report a sex crime should call the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) at 201-915-1234.
