Marlboro Man Charged With Molesting Teen Virginia Boy

MARLBORO, NJ — A Marlboro Township man was arrested last week after police said he traveled to Virginia to meet a teenage boy he met online, and molested the juvenile.

Police say that Matthew J. Essen, 20, of Marlboro, NJ, met the victim through the Kik app and traveled to the Ashburn, Virginia area on May 20. There, police say Essen sexually assaulted the victim, and some of the acts were recorded.

The teen told someone about the alleged incident the following day.

Detectives with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office worked in coordination with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Monmouth County prosecutor to arrest Essen.

He is facing charges in Loudoun County of two counts of carnal knowledge, two counts of production of child pornography, indecent liberties with a child and online solicitation of a minor. Essen remains held in New Jersey pending an extradition hearing.

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