Essex County officials announced today that Wayne Ram, a 44-year-old self-described religious leader, is accused of sexually assaulting a young male who sought spiritual guidance from him.
According to authorities, the crime allegedly occurred in Orange on August 7, 2021, when the young man met up with Ram at a family member's home.
The victim alleges that Ram suggested that his family member leave the home and then sexually assaulted him.
The victim immediately reported the assault to law enforcement officials said.
Ram currently lives in Newark but is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago.
Police charged him with two counts of sexual assault and three counts of criminal sexual contact.
On August 27, Ram was arrested on these charges and was subsequently released on pre-trial monitoring pending disposition of the case.
He was required to surrender his passport. His next court date is set for Oct. 1.
These are accusations.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.