By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
PLAINSBORO — The Virginia man whose thwarted Valentine’s Day travel plans with a local high school student touched off a massive manhunt in West Windsor last Thursday was arrested that same day by Plainsboro Township police on unrelated charges involving the sexual assault of a juvenile here, police said.
Marlon Gramajo-Ramos, 23, of Falls Church, Va., confessed to the crimes during an interview Feb. 14, according to Plainsboro police, after he was brought in for questioning. Mr. Gramajo-Ramos allegedly admitted to having sexual intercourse with a juvenile after breaking into a vacant Quail Ridge Drive apartment more than a year ago.
”He was a suspect in the sexual assault, and he was interviewed by both our department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office,” said Plainsboro Lt. Thomas DeSimone. “He then confessed to the crimes.”
West Windsor police turned him over after they determined no crime had been committed in the incident that caused the manhunt near West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South.
He has officially been charged with sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and burglary, Plainsboro police said.
The manhunt that led to Mr. Gramajo-Ramos’ eventual arrest was sparked by an incident in the High School South parking lot, where Mr. Gramajo-Ramos and his girlfriend planned on meeting around 7 a.m. and then fleeing to Virginia. The student’s parents intervened after being tipped off by a telltale e-mail, and Mr. Gramajo-Ramos fled.
West Windsor police initially believed an attempted abduction had occurred, and responded with the lockdown of High School South and nearby Maurice Hawk Elementary and an hours-long search of the area nearby, with Mr. Gramajo-Ramos eventually meeting with police to be interviewed.
The search and police response that occurred was typical for what the police thought had occurred, according to West Windsor Lt. Pat McCormick. “We were only getting so much information from the parents and the student, so we took every precaution.” said Lt. McCormick. “We have a community to protect.”
Mr. Gramajo-Ramos had first become a suspect during the initial investigation of the sexual assault, according to Plainsboro police, who said they became aware of Mr. Gramajo-Ramos’ return to the area because of the Valentine’s Day manhunt in West Windsor.
A West Windsor detective came to Plainsboro headquarters to seek information on Mr. Gramajo-Ramos during the manhunt, Lt. DeSimone said.
”We were not sure where he had been prior to that, but it was probably in Virginia or Maryland,” he said.
