NJ cop suspended, accused of sexually assaulting 17-year-old girl

Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News on Jan 14, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

A New Jersey police officer has been suspended over allegations that he repeatedly sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl, oftentimes approaching her while on duty and offering her alcohol.

Justin Skelly, an officer in Middletown since 2023, is facing charges including sexual assault of a victim 16- to 17-years-old by a supervisor and endangering-sexual conduct with a child by a non-caretaker, the local Patch reported. He’s accused of meeting up with the unidentified teen victim “numerous times” between Aug. 12 and Dec. 7 2024, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said.

On those occasions, Skelly provided her with “alcohol and engaged in sexual intercourse with her,” according to an affidavit cited by NJ Advance Media.

“Skelly also engaged in communications of a sexual nature with the 17-year-old female,” it continues. “During this same time frame, Officer Skelly would often frequent areas where the victim was known to congregate with friends, while he was on duty and would communicate with the victim while on duty and from his police vehicle.”

Skelly has since been suspended without pay, Paul Bailey, a spokesperson for the Middletown police, told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday. No further information was provided.

Skelly previously worked as a dispatcher and police officer in Rumson from 2020 to 2023 and he served in Sea Girt starting in 2022, according to his Facebook page.

If convicted on the sexual assault charge, Skelly faces a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars. The second charge, meanwhile, carries a punishment of up to five years in prison.