Dayton man arrested on sex charge

Police say 28-year-old, who lives across the street from an elementary school, assaulted boy, 7, at a mall in East Brunswick.

By: Paul Koepp
   A Dayton man who lives across the street from a township elementary school was arrested on Friday night on charges that he sexually assaulted a 7-year-old boy in a Macy’s bathroom in East Brunswick.
   Charles Waldron, 28, who lives in the Fresh Ponds Village Apartments on Ridge Road, was arrested by East Brunswick police at the department store in the Brunswick Square Mall on Route 18 after the boy’s mother alerted the Macy’s security staff, according to a press release from the Middlesex County prosecutor’s office.
   Mr. Waldron was charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, based on statements of the victim and of witnesses, as well as other information collected during an investigation by police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Sex Crimes Child Abuse Unit, the release said.
   At about 8:30 p.m. Friday, the boy went alone into the bathroom at Macy’s, where he was allegedly confronted by Mr. Waldron, according to the release. Mr. Waldron allegedly exposed his genitals and made the boy touch them, then made the boy expose his own. Mr. Waldron then allegedly performed oral sex on the boy, the release said.
   The boy reported the assault to his mother immediately after leaving the bathroom, while Mr. Waldron remained in the store until he was arrested, the release said.
   Mr. Waldron is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center on $300,000 bail. He is not listed as a convicted sex offender in the state Sex Offender Internet Registry or in the U.S. Department of Justice Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Registry.
   Fresh Ponds Village is directly across Ridge Road from Indian Fields Elementary School.
   A letter written by Principal Mark Daniels was sent home with all Indian Fields students on Wednesday, explaining the steps taken by the district to ensure the safety of students, according to an e-mail from Rebecca Leonard, school district information officer. It also explained services offered by the district and community.
   The Township Council adopted an ordinance last year banning convicted sex-offenders from living within 1,000 feet of any school, educational facility, park, playground or childcare facility. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $1,250 and imprisonment or community service of up to 90 days.
   However, similar measures in other towns have been deemed unconstitutional after being challenged in court, township officials said Tuesday.
   Township Councilwoman Carol Barrett said that when it comes to dealing with sex offenders, "the laws are crazy."
   "We should be doing everything we can to protect children, and it’s getting harder and harder for all of us," she said.