JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — A Morris County man has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a child and attempting to keep the victim quiet, officials said.
Sivaldo A. Gonzalez Vasquez, 59, of Lake Hopatcong, faces sexual assault and witness tampering charges following an investigation by the Jefferson Township Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
On Friday, September 11, Jefferson Township police notified the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office of an investigation into the sexual abuse of a child. Investigators determined that Vasquez sexually assaulted a child in Jefferson Township on multiple occasions between May 4 and September 5.
Vasquez also tried to interfere with the investigation by telling a witness and the victim not to speak with police, according to authorities.
Vasquez was arrested on Friday, September 11, and charged with:
- Aggravated Sexual Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a)
- Sexual Assault, three counts (N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2)
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child (N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4)
- Witness Tampering, two counts (N.J.S.A. 2C:28-5)
He was taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility to await a court appearance on Monday, October 19.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to call the Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200.
Editor’s Note: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
