A Bordentown man arrested last September for attempting to lure a 14-year-old boy for a sexual encounter pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri.
Onofri reported that the 55-year-old Bordentown resident, Joseph Coleman, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree luring before the Mercer County Superior Court Judge Thomas M. Brown on Feb. 1.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Onofri said that the state will recommend that Coleman be sentenced to seven years in state prison, including three years of parole ineligibility. Onofri said that Coleman will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and will be subject to parole supervision for life.
According to Onofri, Coleman was arrested on Sept. 5 by members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office after arriving at a park to meet a 14-year-old-boy who was actually an undercover detective. Since July of last year, the prosecutor said that detectives with the MCPO had been investigating individuals trying to exploit children online.
Officials reported that a detective working in an undercover capacity, posed as a 14-year-old boy, responded to an online ad and triggered more than 100 email exchanges with Coleman. The email were conversations were reported to have included graphic sexual discussion and multiple attempts by Coleman to arrange a meeting.
Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Trainor represented the state. Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22.
Prosecutor Onofri urges anyone with information about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children to please contact his Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit at 609-989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tipline at 888-648-6007.