By: Yuritza Arroyo
A local pulmonologist has been arrested and criminally charged with committing a series of sexual offenses against a juvenile, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Monday.
According to officials, Cornelius Gallagher, 62, of Wall Township, is charged with two counts of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault and two counts of second-degree Sexual Assault.
Officials say an investigation by members of the Wall Township Police Department revealed that the alleged sexual abuse began nearly 20 years ago and continued for more than a decade at various locations within Wall Township.
Gallagher was arrested without incident late last week, then lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) pending a detention hearing and first appearance tentatively scheduled to take place Wednesday, July 12 .
According to Police, Gallagher is a licensed pulmonologist with more than 20 years of practice and affiliations with three hospitals across Monmouth County; however, the charges being announced today are not connected with his interactions with any patient.