POLICE SERGEANT INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTING TO LURE “15-YEAR-OLD GIRL” WHO REALLY WAS UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE IN “OPERATION OPEN HOUSE”

24 Men Were Arrested in AG’s 2018 Undercover Operation Targeting Child Predators on Social Media

TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a suspended Howell Township, N.J., police sergeant was indicted today on charges that he attempted to lure a 15-year-old girl he met online to meet for a sexual encounter.  The “girl” was really an undercover detective participating in “Operation Open House,” a multi-agency operation in 2018 led by the Attorney General’s Office that resulted in the arrest of 24 men who allegedly were using social media to lure underage girls and boys for sexual activity.

Richard C. Conte, 48, of Farmingdale, N.J., was indicted today by a state grand jury on the following charges:

·         Official Misconduct (2^nd degree)

·         Luring, Enticing Child (2^nd degree)

·         Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child (3^rd degree)

·         Attempted Sexual Contact with Victim Aged 13 to 15 (4^th degree)

Conte was arrested on Sept. 6, 2018.  Four days earlier, he had encountered a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl through an online social media site.  The person he encountered was really an undercover detective with the New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.  Although the “girl” repeatedly indicated that she was 15 years old, Conte continued to chat with her online and email her.  Conte allegedly used his work phone to engage in chats with the “girl.”  Ultimately, he allegedly arranged to meet her for sexual activity at a location in Toms River. Conte claimed in the chats that he was 19 years old.  Conte had condoms in his pocket when he arrived at the meet location on the night of Sept. 6, 2018 and was arrested by law enforcement officers conducting Operation Open House.

During the past year, the Division of Criminal Justice, the New Jersey State Police, and their law enforcement partners arrested 40 alleged child predators in two major undercover operations, “Operation Open House” in Ocean County and “Operation Home Alone” in Bergen County.

Deputy Attorney General Supriya Prasad presented the indictment to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Cyber Crimes Bureau.

Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.  Fourth degree crimes carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The indictment was handed up in Superior Court in Mercer County. The case was assigned to Ocean County, where Conte will be ordered to appear in court at a later date for arraignment.

In addition to investigating cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, members of the New Jersey State Police Digital Technology Investigations Unit, the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, and the New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force routinely conduct undercover chat investigations on social media platforms leading to arrests of hands-on offenders and defendants attempting to lure children.  They also conduct proactive investigations to apprehend offenders by monitoring peer-to-peer file-sharing networks and identifying the IP addresses of individuals sharing child pornography.

Attorney General Grewal and Director Allende urged anyone with information about the distribution of child pornography on the internet – or about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children – to please contact the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Tipline at 888-648-6007.

Defense Attorney: Richard Incremona, Esq., Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A., Freehold, N.J.