Released Sex Offender Assaulted Atlantic Co. Minor: Prosecutor

MULLICA TWP, NJ — A registered sex offender from Mullica Township who was recently released from New Jersey State Prison was charged with sexually assaulting an Atlantic County juvenile, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Marcelino Cruz, 33, was charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct, Prosecutor William E. Reynolds said.

Cruz was released from prison in Nov. 2021 and is a registered sex offender subject to parole for life, Reynolds said. During the first week of August this year, Cruz "engaged in an act of sexual penetration" with the juvenile, Reynolds said.

The investigation began when the minor's mother discovered "disturbing" messages on her child's phone, Reynolds said. Police recovered the communications between Cruz and the juvenile that provided further evidence of the assault, Reynolds said.

Cruz is currently lodged in Atlantic County Justice Facility, and is detained pending a hearing scheduled for Aug. 19, Reynolds said.

Cruz was convicted in Oct. 2019 on one count of endangering the welfare of a child using sex acts in Salem County, according to the State of New Jersey Department of Corrections. He was sentenced to five years in state prison but was released on parole after a month, according to records.