NJ School Employee Tried To Meet Student, 15, For Sex: Prosecutor

BROWNS MILLS, NJ- A Burlington County school employee has been charged with trying to arrange a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old female student, authorities said.

Christopher J. Perry, 34, of Browns Mills, was charged with attempted sexual assault, enticing a minor, criminal sexual contact and related offenses in connection with the alleged attempt, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Pemberton Township Police Department said in a joint statement.

Perry is lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending a court appearance. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.

The charges stem from a tip from the student's parents to school officials that the employee was chatting with the minor on Snapchat. School officials later contacted the police.

A Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office investigator continued the text exchange with Perry, who believed he was still communicating with the 15-year-old girl, police said. During the ensuing text exchange, Perry described in detail the sexual acts he wanted to perform on the minor.

Perry also made arrangements with the officer posing as the 15-year-old to pick "her" up Friday afternoon at a park in Browns Mills.

When he arrived, Perry was taken into custody by law enforcement officers. Perry had also been observed at a drugstore to buy condoms on his way to the location.

“I commend the parents of this young girl for reporting this interaction,” Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw said. “It cannot be stressed enough how important it is for parents to be aware of what their children are doing online. This case strongly demonstrates how easy it is for the predators who prowl around cyberspace to quickly materialize in person as very real, very dangerous threats to those that we love and are supposed to protect.”

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Pemberton Township Police Department’s tip line at 609-894-3352.