Attempted Burglary Leads to Sexual Contact, Police Say

A Red Bank man is in jail after police said he entered a neighbor's home without permission one early morning, choked her, and committed an act of sexual contact earlier this month.

Ruben Sanchez-Cruz was arrested on March 11 and charged with various offenses, including simple assault, burglary, and committing an act of sexual contact. Sanchez-Cruz, who first appeared before a Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Wednesday morning, was ordered held at Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold on $15,000 bail with no 10 percent option.

According to court documents, police say Sanchez-Cruz, living in an apartment complex in the 100 block of Monmouth Street, entered the apartment of a neighbor in the same building with the purpose of committing an act of simple assault. According to police, Sanchez-Cruz, 24, choked the victim, who was not identified, with one hand and at the same time used his other hand to grope the victim's breasts.

The assault charges were added after a investigation into the report of a burglary at the address.