A firefighter recently appeared in an Englewood court on allegations of sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl.
He was arrested after being accused of "inappropriate sexual conduct" with the girl. The firefighter is 39 years old. He was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child, according to a prosecutor's statement.
The Hackensack fire chief suspended the firefighter without pay. The outcome of the case will determine whether the man will get his job back. The man has been with the fire department since October 2010.
He did not commit the alleged crimes while he was on duty, according to the Hackensack city manager. The prosecutor said that the man was accused of engaging in sexual activity with the girl at a location in Englewood. The location was not disclosed to media sources.
The incident was reported to the police, who then notified the prosecutor's office. Media sources did not say who reported the alleged abuse.
The city manager said that the firefighter will be suspended until "the system runs its course." The man was being held in Bergen County Jail on $200,000 bail. According to media sources, he was ordered to cease all contact with the girl, an acquaintance of his, as a condition of bail.
His arraignment was in mid-April.
Source: NorthJersey.com: "Hackensack firefighter charged in Englewood sexual assault involving 13-year-old," April 4, 2012