7 Minors Say NJ Sex Offender Drugged, Assaulted Them: Prosecutor

PLEASANTVILLE, NJ — A Pleasantville man is accused of sexually abusing minors, some under the age of 13, and giving some pills to perform sexual acts, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Jose Castro-Vega, 58, was also charged with failing to register as a sex offender after he was released from prison in 1998, authorities said.

The investigation began on Oct. 27 when two minors alleged sexual abuse by Castro-Vega, authorities said.

On that date, Castro-Vega was charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. He was then lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility, officials said.

Further investigation revealed that Castro-Vega was convicted of sexual assault on a minor in 1992 and placed on New Jersey's Megan’s Law list, requiring him to register as a sex offender in whichever jurisdiction he was living in.

However, Castro-Vega was released from prison in 1998 and moved out of state several times without registering as a sex offender, officials said. He was additionally charged with third-degree failure to register as a sex offender.

Since the beginning of the investigation, five additional minors, four under the age of 13, have come forward, giving prosecutors "detailed" descriptions of the sexual abuse they faced from Castro-Vega, authorities said.

Some of these accounts said Castro-Vega drugged the children with pills to perform sexual acts, according to authorities.

Castro-Vega was charged with additional counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault on four victims under the age of 13, and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact with the fifth juvenile, along with other accompanying charges.

This remains an active investigation by the Prosecutor's Office and Pleasantville police.