Asbury Park Man Tried To Lure Girl, 11, In 2023

ASBURY PARK, NJ — An Asbury Park man was convicted for luring and kidnapping a then-11-year-old girl off the street in 2023, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced Tuesday.

Following an eight-day trial last week, 30-year-old Raquan Folk was found guilty by a jury of first- degree Kidnapping, second-degree Luring a Child, and third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He is facing 30 years in prison at sentencing, which will be March 13.

Shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the girl was walking on Ridge Avenue in Asbury Park when a man later identified as Folk pulled up to her in a vehicle and convinced her to get inside. Folk then drove her to neighboring Neptune Township, stopped the vehicle and told the victim to disrobe. The girl asked to use the bathroom and, when Folk let her, she ran from the car, flagged down a passerby and was taken to the Neptune Township Police Department.

Folk was taken into custody without incident days later and transported to the Monmouth County Jail, where he has remained incarcerated since.

This case has been prosecuted by MCPO Assistant Prosecutor Keri-Leigh Schaefer of the Special Victims Bureau. Folk has been represented by Paul Zager, Esq., with an office in Red Bank.

The investigation was led by Detective Kayla Santiago of the MCPO Special Victims Bureau and Detective Scott Ritter of the Asbury Park Police Department.