Missing Teen, 17, Found At Tinton Falls Motel; Man Charged

TINTON FALLS, NJ — A man is charged with promoting prostitution of a teenager from a Tinton Falls motel last week, along with numerous other crimes, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced Monday.

Last Wednesday, Tinton Falls Police received information that a 17-year-old teen girl may be in crisis somewhere in the area of Eatontown or Tinton Falls.

A search of the area led officers to a motel (not named) near the interchange of Rt. 18, Rt. 36 and the Garden State Parkway.

When officers knocked on the door of the motel room occupied by Jerome Harbour, 41, he denied any knowledge of the whereabouts of the teen in question.

But moments later she was found hidden in his room, said law enforcement.

The prosecutor did not reveal how the teen girl or Harbour met; the prosecutor would not say any further information beyond what was released.

But police say Harbour had previously discarded the teen's cell phone in a neighboring town. In addition, a search of his motel room uncovered quantities of suspected cocaine, oxycodone and two types of prescription tranquilizers.

Kidnapping was not one of the charges filed, the prosecutor noted.

The teen was safely taken into police custody. Harbour remains in the Monmouth County Jail.

Anyone with information about this matter or Harbour’s recent activities is urged to contact MCPO Detective Kayla Santiago at 800-533-7443 or Tinton Falls Police Department Detective Sergeant Daniel Osofsky at 732-542-4422.

Harbour is charged with first-degree promoting prostitution of a child, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child via sexual conduct, third-degree child endangerment via non-sexual conduct, third-degree hindering apprehension, four third-degree narcotics offenses, fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and fourth-degree obstruction.