Township Man Charged With Aggravated Sexual Assault Of Child

Efren Merino-Hernandez. Photo: Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

A township man remains lodged in Somerset County Jail after he was arrested for allegedly molesting a child for two years.

Efren Merino-Hernandez, 23, was arrested at the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office in Somerville, where he voluntarily reported after being located by police in Edison, according to a release from the prosecutor’s office.

On July 7, detectives from the prosecutor’s office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit and township police department interviewed the victim, who is under the age of 13 years, according to the release. The investigation revealed that Merino-Hernandez allegedly assaulted the victim on five occasions in the township between June 2014 to February 2016.

Merino-Hernandez was located in Edison at about 7 a.m. on July 8, after which he voluntarily reported to the prosecutor’s office, according to the release.

Merino-Hernandez was arrested at the prosecutor’s office and charged with 1st Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, and 3rd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, according to the release.

He was remanded to the Somerset County Jail, Somerville, on $300,000 cash-only bail, with the stipulation that if he does make bail, he is to stay away from the victim.

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