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A New Jersey police officer sent a 12-year-old girl explicit photos of himself in uniform and tried to set up a sexual encounter with her days after meeting the girl while assisting her family in an unrelated police matter, authorities say.
The Woodland Park police officer, Steven Vigorito Jr., 39, pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday and is being held on $250,000 bail following his arrest while on duty Tuesday night.
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes said the girl's family complained that the officer had made inappropriate comments to the girl and had given her his private cell phone number and asked her to text him.
Detectives posing as the girl received explicit text messages from the officer, including graphic photos of him in uniform exposing himself. He allegedly tried to convince the girl to meet him for sex.
"What is so disturbing about this, is the person who was to assist the family, ends up preying on the family," Valdes said.
More on the cop's arrest from NBCNewYork.com
Vigorito, who has worked for the police force for 12 years, has been suspended without pay. He was charged with attempted aggravated sexual assault, official misconduct, attempted sexual assault, luring and enticing a child and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted on all the counts, he faces a maximum of 50 years in prison.
It's not immediately known if Vigorito has an attorney.
Woodland Police Chief Anthony Galietti said the investigation was distressing and that the allegations against one officer were not a reflection of the local police department.
"It's very upsetting, but we didn't care that it was one of our own," Galietti said. "I'm a father of five and we treated him like any suspect off the street."
Vigorito is a married father of two, according to WABC-7.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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All I can say is I'm glad I don't live in Jersey!
are.
Used to live in Jersey. 30+ years. Don't miss it at all.
"What is so disturbing about this, is the person who was to assist the family, ends up preying on the family," Valdes said.
Surprise, surprise.
WOW. That is just disgusting and pathetic. I wonder how many other little girls he's being trying to rape in the 12 years he's been a cop? (Ironically, he started in the police force the same year his intended victim was born!) I hope his wife divorces him and he goes to jail for a long, long time.
"It's very upsetting, but we didn't care that it was one of our own," Galietti said. "I'm a father of five and we treated him like any suspect off the street." AWESOME. I'm glad his fellow officers didn't try to cover for him.
Convicted, Go to Jail and big bubba will have a lot of fun with him!
Boy
How STUPID can you be. I guess he thought he was really something special. And he is married with 2 children. I am glad he is off the streets. But, of course, he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Bad boys, bad boys. What ya gonna do, what ya gonna do when they come for you. Bad boys bad boys.
Some guys just can't take the responsibility of being a cop, it goes to their head and they think they can do anything they want to and get away with it. Sorry ol' boy but 12 yrs on the job should have gotten you beyond that, "Wow I'm real special," frame of mind. If he's convicted he will go to prison but they will probably put him in a segregated area of the penitentiary with other convicted cops.
It is a shame to see such things as this. Not only has he disgraced himself, but his badge also. It is a good thing he was caught by his fellow officers before the incident progressed further. Farwest (above) speaks with knowledge most do not possess, and may have hit the nail on it's head.
Regardless, sure is a shame to see such an incident. It would be interesting to learn at what stage did the actual misconduct occur, before or after his fellow officers became involved? And, was any of the misconduct started by him or them? Mind you, just curious. No matter where it started, he should not have played.