Man Masturbated In Front Of Women, Girls In Ocean County: Prosecutor

LAKEWOOD, NJ — An Ocean County man has been arrested after he drove up to a woman and three girls in Lakewood and showed them he was masturbating, authorities said.

Messinissa Ladj, 18, of Jackson, was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexual assault, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and four counts of lewdness in four incidents that happened in January and early February, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Authorities said Lakewood police received a report on Jan. 24 that a man wearing a ski mask and driving a black vehicle approached a 16-year-old girl who was walking down East 5th Avenue and beckoned for her to come over to his vehicle. As she approached, the man made motions "consistent with masturbating" before driving off, authorities said. The incident happened Jan. 23, authorities said.

Investigators learned a similar incident had happened on East 5th Avenue on Jan. 21. Lakewood police and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit learned a 12-year-old girl had been walking along the street and a man wearing a black surgical mask and driving a black vehicle called out to her. When the girl approached the vehicle, the man was masturbating, authorities said. The vehicle took off, authorities said.

Another incident was reported to Lakewood police on Feb. 11, authorities said. A woman walking with her baby on North Lake Drive reported that a man driving a black vehicle pulled over and asked for directions. When the woman approached the car, he was masturbating. The vehicle then drove off.

As authorities investigated, they learned another incident had happened on Feb. 5. A 14-year-old girl was approached and when he called the girl over to the vehicle, he was masturbating, they said.

Law enforcement was able to obtain a description of the man's vehicle from that incident, authorities said.

The investigation led authorities to Ladj and they were able to determine he was responsible for all four incidents, and on Tuesday authorities pulled him over as he was leaving his home in Jackson and arrested him, the prosecutor's office said.

He is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing, prosecutors said.

The Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and High Tech Crime Squad, Lakewood Township Police Department, Jackson Township Police Department and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office collaborated on the investigation.