Man charged with sexual abuse of Bergen County minor: prosecutor

A man strangled and attempted to sexually abuse a child, and his girlfriend told two children to lie about it, Bergen County prosecutors allege

June 11, 2024, 1:15 p.m. EDT | Updated June 11, 2024, 1:25 p.m. EDT

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A Ridgefield man was arrested Monday on charges of strangling a child under 13 and then attempting to sexually assault him. His girlfriend was also charged with urging two children to lie about it, prosecutors said.

Julio Amaro-Vasquez, 33, was charged Monday with attempted murder, attempted aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault, attempted sexual assault by physical contact and endangering the welfare of a child, the Bergen County District Attorney’s Office said.

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Prosecutors said Fairview police contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit on Monday, June 10, regarding an alleged assault on a child under the age of 13 in Fairview.

The investigation revealed that Amaro-Vasquez “strangled a child under the age of 13 until unconscious before attempting to sexually abuse the child,” prosecutors said Tuesday.

He was arrested in Fairview, prosecutors said.

He was taken to the Bergen County Jail, where he awaits his initial appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, prosecutors said.

Separately, prosecutors announced the arrest of Marlin Cervantes-Santos of Fairview on Tuesday. He is accused of endangering the welfare of a child, prosecutors said.

“Further investigation into the incident (involving Amaro-Vasquez) revealed that Marlin Cervantes-Santos, who had a relationship with Amaro-Vasquez, instructed two children to give false information to police during the course of the investigation,” prosecutors said Tuesday.

Cervantes-Santos was arrested in Paramus and charged with two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, prosecutors said.

She was also taken to the Bergen County Jail to await her initial appearance in the Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, prosecutors said.