Authorities have charged a member of a local church with a disturbing act involving young boys in the bathroom.
Last month, Pierre Joseph, 68, of Plainfield was arrested, as announced by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday.
He is facing charges for two counts of second-degree sexual assault and third-degree child endangerment.
County Prosecutor John McDonald has stated that two boys came forward to their church, reporting separate incidents of being touched in a North Plainfield church bathroom.
According to McDonald, a young boy disclosed to someone at the church on Sunday, June 23 that he had experienced an assault in the bathroom. That individual proceeded to notify the church pastor.
The North Plainfield police were called to the church at around 4:30 p.m. to report the incident.
Joseph was held at the church prior to the arrival of the police and was subsequently brought in for questioning, according to McDonald.
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According to McDonald, detectives from the SCPO also spoke with the boy, who described an incident where Joseph had entered the bathroom and inappropriately touched him by pulling down his pants and underwear.
According to McDonald, investigators discovered that a nine-year-old boy had previously made a report about being assaulted in the church bathroom earlier this year as per NJ1015 News.
Joseph was taken into custody on the same Sunday. He is currently being detained at Somerset County Jail.
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