JAMESBURG – A 50-year-old borough man has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child by texting a lewd photo of himself to a teenager.
Linus Germe was charged on Oct. 5 after allegedly sending the lewd photo to an undercover police officer who was posing as a 15-year-old girl who had been reportedly targeted by the defendant earlier in the day, according to a statement released by Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Chief James Craparotta of the Jamesburg Police Department.
Germe was charged during an investigation by Detective Patrick Smith of the Jamesburg Police Department and Detective Felix De La Cruz of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation showed that Germe allegedly gave the 15-year-old girl his text number and asked her to contact him. The girl told her father and police were contacted.
The undercover officer subsequently posed as the 15-year-old girl and texted Germe, according to police. He allegedly replied with text messages that included the lewd photo.
Bail was set at $75,000.
Anyone with information should call Smith at 732-521-0011 or De La Cruz at 732-745-3300.