Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Montville Township Police Chief Andrew Caggiano announce that Juan A. Fernandez, 61, of Towaco, New Jersey, has been charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
It is alleged that the defendant performed multiple sexual acts on a juvenile male victim from the time the victim was six years old until he was sixteen years old. The investigation began in March of 2024. The incident remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time. The name and identity of the victim will not be released.
As a result of the investigation, the defendant has been charged with three counts of 1st Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a)(1), three counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(c)(4), two counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(b), one count of 2nd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Sexual Conduct) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(1), one count of 2nd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Abuse/Neglect) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(2), and two counts of 4th Degree Criminal Sexual Contact in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-3(b).
Pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform, the defendant was remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility, pending a hearing on a motion for detention that the State has filed. The detention hearing will be heard on April 17.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes Child Endangerment Unit at 973-285-6200, or the Montville Township Police Department at 973-257-4300.
Numerous law enforcement agencies have participated in this investigation, including members of the Montville Township Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Department, and Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite these accusations, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
