Montclair Man Arrested for Sexual Assaults in Bloomfield, Belleville

Bloomfield Police and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office have announced the arrest of a Montclair man in connection with a string of sexual assaults in Bloomfield and Belleville this summer.

According to a news release issued by the Prosecutor's Office Saturday, Bloomfield detectives arrested Lee Harris, 26, of Montclair, on Saturday after conducting surveillance in the area of a previous sexual assault. Officials say Harris was observed by detectives sitting in his vehicle near a bar.

Detectives then stopped the suspect's vehicle and took him into custody, charging him with multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, attempted sexual assault and aggravated assault in connection with incidents that police say occurred in Bloomfield on June 18 and July 18, and in Belleville on Aug. 4.

Harris is awaiting arraignment next week in the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1.1 million bail with no 10 percent cash option. The Prosecutor's Office has said no further information will be available until after 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 8.