Prosecutor: Lawrence Volunteer Firefighter Told Teenage Girl to Remove Clothes, Showed Her Obscene Material

A volunteer firefighter from Lawrence has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and showing obscene material to a minor for allegedly telling a teenage girl remove her clothes in front of him and showing her obscene material, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said on Tuesday.

Joseph Dlabik, 38, was indicted on one count of second-degree official misconduct, one count of second-degree luring, two counts second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of third-degree obscenity for persons under 18.

Dlabik allegedly lured a teenage girl to a secluded area of the Lawrence Road Fire Company on Lawrence Road in July of last year and asked her a series of fire training questions. He told her to remove an article of clothing for each question she answered wrong.

He also allegedy showed obscene material on his cell phone to a teenage girl while at the firehouse multiple times between Jan. 27 and March 31 of last year.

Dlabik is free on $50,000 bail.