A 22-year-old Union City man was arrested for sexually assaulting a juvenile inside his parked car in Oakland and Clifton yesterday, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Elmer Barranco, 22, of Union City, was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, Musella said in a statement.
Barranco was also issued summonses for several motor vehicle violations.
The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Oakland Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Capt. Timothy Keenan.
Yesterday, the Oakland Police Department responded to a report of someone screaming in the area of Ramapo Valley Road and East Oak Street.
Upon arrival, responding officers located a child between the ages of 13 and 16 who had an altercation with an adult male inside of a vehicle.
Officers located the vehicle and its driver, who was later identified as Barranco, and observed that he was under the influence of alcohol.
Accordingly, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit were notified, responded, and initiated a joint investigation with the Oakland PD.
Detectives determined that Barranco, who was acquainted with the victim, sexually assaulted and endangered the juvenile inside the vehicle in Oakland, as well as in Clifton, on March 27th.
As a result, he was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.