Additional charges filed against man in kidnapping of 6-year-old child in Warren County
WASHINGTON BOROUGH, N.J. (Warren County) — A 27-year-old Washington Borough man accused of kidnapping a 6-year-old child from her home is now facing additional charges, including two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, according to the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office.
Lester Noe Perez-Amador was charged Tuesday, Sept. 8 with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
The additional charges stem from the continued investigation into the kidnapping of the child from her Washington Borough home early Saturday morning. Authorities said investigators developed additional evidence supporting allegations that Perez-Amador sexually assaulted the child after kidnapping her.
Washington Township police initially received a report of a missing 6-year-old child in Washington Borough at about 2:51 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, and immediately responded.
An initial investigation determined that the child had been kidnapped from her home, according to the prosecutor’s office.
About an hour later, police located the child as she was returning home on foot. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
A coordinated, multi-agency investigation continued for 36 hours and resulted in the arrest of Perez-Amador within the first 24 hours, authorities said. Investigators determined that Perez-Amador was known to the child.
Perez-Amador was initially charged with first-degree home invasion burglary and first-degree kidnapping.
He remains held at the Warren County Correctional Center in Belvidere. A court hearing on the state’s motion for pretrial detention is anticipated next week, according to the prosecutor’s office.
“When a child in our community is at risk, law enforcement responds as one. I witnessed first-hand as all involved agencies worked with focus on one common goal – to bring this child to safety. Protecting our children is a responsibility we take very seriously, and our commitment does not end with an arrest. The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office will now proceed with this prosecution and continue our pursuit of justice,” Warren County Prosecutor Jessica L. Cardone said.
Washington Township Police Chief Christopher Jones also addressed the investigation.
“Our thoughts go out to the victim, and we wish the best to them and their family. The collaboration between multiple agencies brought this investigation to a successful conclusion with the suspect being placed in custody within a short time period. The tireless effort displayed by the officers of the Washington Township Police Department, Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, and New Jersey State Police, with additional assistance from the Greenwich Township Police Department, Phillipsburg Police Department, and Mansfield Township Police Department guaranteed the safety of our residents,” Jones said.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the first-degree aggravated sexual assault charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in New Jersey State Prison, while the third-degree endangering the welfare of a child charge carries a maximum sentence of five years.
The previously filed first-degree kidnapping charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with 25 years of parole ineligibility, while first-degree home invasion burglary carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The investigation involved the Washington Township Police Department, Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, Child Abduction Response Team, Sexual Assault Response Team, Warren County Regional Crime Scene Unit, New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Police Laboratory, Mansfield Township Police Department, Greenwich Township Police Department, Phillipsburg Police Department and FBI Newark Field Office.
