School Security Guard Charged With Child Luring In North Bergen: Police

NORTH BERGEN, NJ — An employee of an Essex County elementary school was arrested in North Bergen last week for alleged child luring, police said.

The Newark school employee tried to entice a person he believed to be 13-year-old girl into sexual activity, North Bergen police said Friday.

Jeffrey B. Sanders, of Newark, was charged with luring and enticing a child, attempted sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

Police said Sanders arrived at a residential complex in North Bergen around 11:05 p.m . on Thursday night, expecting to meet "an individual posing as a 13-year-old female for several weeks."

When Sanders arrived, someone called police.

"The suspect allegedly communicated with the individual for several weeks through social media and messaging applications before traveling to North Bergen to meet for a sexual encounter," police said in a release.

During the investigation, the man admitted to sending sexually explicit images and videos and told detectives that he worked as a security guard in a public elementary school in Newark, police said.

Additional charges may follow, North Bergen police said.

North Bergen Police Chief Robert Farley said, "Protecting children from those who seek to exploit them remains one of our highest priorities. The professionalism and swift actions of our officers and detectives prevented what could have been a tragic situation. I commend everyone involved for their dedication to safeguarding our community."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Bergen Police Department at (201) 392-2141. Anonymous tips may also be submitted via email at tips@northbergenpd.com.