A New Jersey State Police sergeant has been accused of groping a teenage girl and serving her alcohol while off-duty at a Pennsylvania hotel, according to officials and court records.
David DeJesus, 45, of Howell, is accused of committing the acts about 8 p.m. on April 22, after inviting the 14-year-old into his room at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Center in State College, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The girl was visiting the area with her father for a wrestling tournament, according to the document. DeJesus was also attending the tournament, police said.
The police sergeant was charged with indecent assault without consent, indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old, selling/furnishing liquor to a minor and unlawful contact with a minor, according to online court records.
The girl told authorities that she first interacted with DeJesus when she saw him drinking near the hotel pool and asked him for some alcohol, court documents said. After giving her an alcoholic beverage, he then invited her into his hotel room, where she consumed a bottle of beer that he also gave her, the affidavit said.
DeJesus is employed by the New Jersey State Police as a sergeant first class and is suspended without pay, State Police spokesman Lawrence Peele said.
The sergeant was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Don Hahn, who released him on $27,500 unsecured bail, and his preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 6, court records show.
NJ Advance Media staff writer Chris Sheldon contributed to this report. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
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