NJ cop is charged with harassment after 'sending explicit texts to an 18-year-old woman after pulling her over and arresting her for drugs charges'
A New Jersey police officer faces harassment charges after he allegedly sent explicit text messages to an 18-year-old woman he arrested earlier in the day.
Neptune City Police Department officer Damien Broschart, 29, of Howell, New Jersey was charged with fourth degree Cyber Harassment and third degree Hindering Apprehension of Oneself, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement Thursday.
Following an investigation conducted by prosecutors and the Neptune police's internal affairs division, authorities said Broschart - a five-year law enforcement veteran - was suspended without pay.
Authorities said that the incident occurred in early October, the day that Broschart had conducted a motor vehicle stop of the unnamed 18-year-old woman.
The woman was then arrested on drug charges and multiple moving violations, processed and then released. Broschart then drove the victim back to her car.
At some point during the drive, authorities said, Broschart turned off his body camera and mobile video recorder, then asked the woman for her phone number.
After dropping the woman off, Broschart, who was still on duty at the time, sent the woman multiple text messages 'which turned sexual in nature,' the prosecutor's office said.
Authorities said that Broschart sent explicit text messages to a woman he'd arrested earlier in the day on moving violations and drug charges and asked to meet up with her at her home
Authorities said the woman refused his request and blocked his number, then told police what happened, prompting a Neptune City Police Department internal affairs investigation
Authorities said that among the texts Broschart sent the woman were messages stating that he thought she was 'cute' and he would like to 'pay [her] back' for everything.
It's unclear what he allegedly wanted to pay her back for.
Broschart then allegedly sent sexually explicit messages to the woman and attempted to meet her at her home when his shift ended.
Authorities said that she refused to meet with Broschart and then cut off communication with him by blocking his number.
Broschart then allegedly called her three times from the Neptune City Police Department, leaving a voicemail asking the woman to call him back, but she didn't answer or return his calls.
Authorities said that following the incident, the woman came forward and reported that Broschart had been contacting her just hours after arresting her, which prompted an immediate internal affairs investigation at the Neptune police department.
'This type of behavior will not be tolerated, and has no place within the Neptune City Police Department, and the entire law enforcement community,' Neptune City Police Chief Matthew J. Quagliato said in a statement.
If convicted of the Hindering charge, Broschart faces a sentence of three to five years in a New Jersey state prison. If convicted of the Cyber Harassment charge, he faces up to 18 months in state prison.
'Although there is a presumption of non-incarceration for first time offenders with no criminal records in New Jersey, an emphasis has been placed on seeking resolutions on such cases that ensures that police officers who engage in criminal conduct forfeit their public positions,' the prosecutor's office said in the statement.
According to New Jersey law, anyone holding public employment must forfeit their job if convicted of a third degree crime or higher.
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