Manny Marques, 36, was arrested September 10, and charged on Wednesday for the assault of a four-year-old girl, as well as for third-degree child endangerment.

 

Marques, on the Newark police force for 14 years, has been suspended without pay.

“They are horrible and shocking, and completely out of character for a man I have known for years,” Newark Fraternal Order of Police President James Stewart Jr. told NJ.com of the allegations against Marques.

“His co-workers and family are waiting to hear from him and are hoping there is some sort of explanation besides what has been alleged.”

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has stated that the incident was not related to his work as a police officer, but a year-long investigation by the Associated Press in 2015, covering the previous six years, found that approximately 1,000 officers across the nation had their licenses revoked and lost their jobs for sex crimes including rape and possession of child pornography.

The study found that one-third of those officers lost their jobs for committing sexual offenses against minors. Marques remains jailed at the Essex County Correctional Facility on $225,000 bail. He has no defense attorney listed, following his arraignment.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/us/20160917/1045394673/new-jersey-cop-sexual-assault-child.html