New Jersey State Police officer accused of sexual misconduct with teen in State College
A New Jersey State Police officer was charged Thursday with off-duty sexual misconduct with a teenager earlier this year at a State College hotel.
David De Jesus, 45, was accused of groping the the breast of a teen in April at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Center. He also told her she could drink a beer in his room, borough police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
De Jesus and the New Jersey teen were in Happy Valley for a wrestling tournament. A friend invited her to swim in the hotel’s pool, police wrote.
She told investigators De Jesus was drunk and kept “asking weird questions,” including repeatedly asking how old she was. He “kept insisting” she was 18 and groped her, police wrote.
De Jesus told the girl to leave the room a few minutes after he exited “so nobody would think anything happened,” police wrote.
Messages were left with defense lawyer Steve Trialonas. A New Jersey State Police spokesperson declined immediate comment.
De Jesus was charged with one felony count of unlawful contact with a minor, two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault and one misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
He was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Don Hahn, who released him on $27,500 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.