Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and City of Burlington Police Chief John Fine announced that a 30-year-old Chatsworth man was charged yesterday with trying to arrange a sexual encounter with an underage girl he was communicating with on Snapchat.
Officials said Mr. Hazelton Newman, of the first block of Baptist Road, was charged with Attempting to Lure or Entice a Minor (Second Degree) and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Third Degree).
The case will now be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.
He was taken into custody yesterday following the execution of a search warrant at his residence.
Newman was lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.
The investigation began when the mother of the victim contacted the City of Burlington Police Department to report the electronic interaction with Mr. Newman.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Newman was aware that the victim was a minor when he attempted to lure her to a meeting location in his neighborhood so they could engage in sexual activity.
The investigation further revealed that Mr. Newman sent the victim videos and photographs of himself involved in sexual acts with an unknown female.
It is suspected that Newman may have communicated electronically with other underage girls.
Anyone with knowledge of illegal activity involving this defendant is asked to call BCPO Detective Siobhan McClintock at 609-265-5311 or send an email to tips@co.burlington.nj.us.
The investigation is being conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the City of Burlington Police Department, with assistance from the New Jersey State Police.
The lead investigators are Detective McClintock and City of Burlington Police Department Detective David Edwardson.
All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.