Hoboken Man Charged With Criminal Sexual Contact

HOBOKEN, NJ — A Hoboken man was arrested on Wednesday after police said that two women reported having their buttocks grabbed by a stranger in separate incidents.

According to police, on Wednesday, around 12:12 p.m., Officer Liana Palladino responded to the 300 block of Washington Street to investigate a reported incident of criminal sexual contact. Officer Palladino met with the victim and her sister. The victim reported that she left her residence to meet up with her sister for a jog. Just before starting her run, an unknown male approached her and stood within inches of her, she said.

She said that when she returned with her sister from their jog, the unknown male was still in the area and started to walk in the same direction as them.

As the victim tried to open the door to her apartment building, the victim felt someone grabbing her buttocks. She saw the same unknown male was standing there, she said.

She said the unknown male said nothing and left, walking northbound towards Fourth Street. The victim and her sister went up to her apartment and called for the police.

Sgt. Christopher LaBruno, Officer Jason Montalvo, and Officer Wilfredo Gomez arrived to assist with the investigation. As the officers were investigating the incident, the victim saw and pointed out the unknown male standing near the corner of Third and Washington streets, police said.

The officers approached the man and talked to him.

According to police, the man was identified as David Pruitt, 40, from Hoboken. The investigation led to Pruitt's arrest and he was charged with criminal sexual contact.

Soon afterward, at about 12:44 p.m., Officer Anthony Fesken responded to Hoboken University Medical Center, where two hospital employees wanted to report an incident. They told Fesken that they had been walking eastbound on Fourth Street from Park Avenue when an unknown male walked toward them.

As they walked past each other, the unknown male touched the victim's buttocks, the victim said.

The victim and her friend returned to the hospital. They notified security and discovered that the unknown male had entered the emergency room after the incident, they told police. The man was observed using the restroom and water fountain.

LaBruno responded to assist with the investigation, which led to identifying the unknown male as Pruitt again.

According to police, "Pruitt was charged with criminal sexual contact for a second incident, which occurred within minutes of the first reported incident. Pruitt’s second charge of criminal sexual contact was put on a warrant."

Pruitt was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.

Defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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