Jury convicts man for attempt to lure minor
City cop poses as 14-yr.-old girl on Internet to capture predator

LONG BRANCH - A Nutley man was convicted last week on attempted sexual assault charges for trying to engage in a sexual act with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl in Long Branch.

On Jan. 15, a Monmouth County jury convicted Jonathan Nazzaretto, 30, of second degree attempted sexual assault, second degree luring or enticing a child, and third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Before Nazzaretto can be sentenced, state Superior Court Judge Paul F. Chaiet will review a diagnostic evaluation that will advise him whether the accused is a repetitive and compulsive sex offender, according to the release.

If he is found to be a repetitive and compulsive sex offender, Nazzaretto will serve his sentence at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the Avenel section of Woodbridge, according to the release.

Otherwise, Nazzaretto will serve his sentence in a state prison facility determined by the Department of Corrections, according to the Prosecutor's Office.

Nazzaretto could receive a state prison term of up to 10 years when he returns for sentencing onMarch 7, according to the release. In addition, hewill be required to register as a convicted sex offender pursuant to Megan's law and be subject to parole supervision for life.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that on July 27, 2006, Nazzaretto was arrested after he traveled to the city of Long Branch for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Nazzaretto's arrest followed a two-week online investigation conducted by theMonmouth County Prosecutor's Office's Computer Crimes Task Force. During the investigation, Nazzaretto engaged an undercover Long Branch Police Department officer assigned to the task force in sexually explicit instant message ("I.M.") conversations. The conversations culminated inNazzaretto making arrangements to meet the officer, whom he believed to be a child, for purposes of engaging in sexual activity, according to the release.

The Computer Crimes Task Force is one of several county task forces organized and supervised by theMonmouth County Prosecutor's Office. The task forces are comprised of local law enforcement officers who are temporarily "on loan" to the county Prosecutor's Office.

The county benefits fromthe use of task forces in that it receives additional manpower atminimal additional expense to the county, according to the release.

In turn, the local law enforcement agency who loans an officer benefits from participating in the task forces because the local law enforcement officers return to their departments with specialized training and experience, according to the release.

Other task forces organized and supervised by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office include the Narcotics and Organized Criminal Enterprise Task Force and the Bayshore Narcotics Task Force.

"Using the Internet or any other means to solicit a child for sexual purposes will result in vigorous investigation and punishment," Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said. "Through good policework, detectives assigned to the Computer Crimes Task Force intercepted Nazzaretto before he was successful in achieving his goal, which was to sexually assault a real child.

"This case demonstrates the value of multi-agency partnerships in the form of task forces such as this," Valentin said. "Long Branch Public Safety Director WilliamRichards and the chiefs of the other departments who have contributed to the success of the various task forces are commended for their willingness to partner with us."

Long Branch Public Safety Director WilliamRichards said, "This verdict underscores the importance of cooperative working relationships, as demonstrated by the success of this investigation and trial.

"Loaning an officer to the task force does place a burden on the municipality in the short term," Richards said, adding, "However, that burden ismore than compensated for in the long term by the benefit to the community in general, and the experience that the officer gains through his participation in the task force."

The crimes of attempted sexual assault and luring or enticing a child each carry a maximum 10-year term of imprisonment. The crime of endangering the welfare of a child carries a maximum five-year term of imprisonment, according to the release.

Nazzaretto remains free on $300,000 bail pending sentencing, according to the release, which states that conditions of his bail include that he have no contact with children and that he not use the Internet.