Second Man Charged in Hazlet Sex Assault

HAZLET, NJ - A second man has now been charged in an incident where a woman was tied up, robbed and raped at gunpoint in Hazlet Township in December.

Earlier this year, we reported that Malcolm Gatson, 40, of Cliffwood, was charged with an aggravated sexual assault that occurred in Hazlet on Dec. 15. Police say he tied the victim up with tape and forcefully penetrated her vaginally while in possession of a firearm. He is accused of threatening the victim with the gun and then robbing her, taking her cell phone SIM card and battery.

The charges against the Cliffwood man have not been dropped. New charges were filed last week against a second suspect in the case, Lt. Robert Mulligan of Hazlet police said.

Joshua Holmes, 23, of Piscataway, is charged with aggravated sexual assault after police said he, along with Gatson, tied the woman up with tape, took her cell phone and then raped her at gunpoint.

The same Joshua Holmes was arrested in Galloway Township in December and charged with a similar crime: Police say he tied the victim up with duct tape at the Highlander Motel, held him at gunpoint and then robbed the man of $250. Read more about that case on the Galloway Patch:

Piscataway Man Tied Victim Up With Duct Tape, Stole $250 In Galloway Armed Robbery: Police

Prior Patch reporting:

Gunpoint Sex Assault in Hazlet, Police Say