Man Pleads Guilty To Sexually Assaulting Mahwah Girl, Report Says

MAHWAH, NJ - An Indiana man plead guilty to two sexual assault charges and endangering the welfare of a child after he drove more than 10 hours to the township to have sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl, authorities said.

Joshua Elkins, 32, faces eight years in prison, lifetime parole, and must register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law, The Record reported. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 3.

Elkins started talking to the minor in 2012 on an online chat site where users anonymously talk to strangers in text or video chats. The two exchanged phones numbers and started talking on the phone, Mahwah police said at the time of Elkins’ arrest in January 2013.

In December of 2012, Elkins allegedly drove 10 hours and sexually assaulted the girl in her Mahwah home and a Paramus hotel, police previously said.

One of Elkins’s acquaintances tipped off Mahwah Police to the incident in an anonymous e-mail.

Elkins had at least one prior conviction for sexual misconduct with a minor when he was arrested in Indiana, Batelli said.

Elkins has been in the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail since March of 2013, The Record reported.

Bruce Klein, Elkins’ attorney, asked authorities to put on the record the fact that the girl initially lied about how old she was to Elkins, according to the report.

Joshua Elkins/Patch file photo

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