Bergen Man Masturbated In Front Of Boy At Store: Prosecutor

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A Garfield man was arrested after he allegedly exposed himself to a boy and masturbated in front of him Tuesday, authorities announced.

Hector Santos Jr., 41, was arrested after detectives from the Garfield Police Department were alerted Tuesday that a man touched a boy's buttocks earlier that day in a local supermarket, said acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo.

Santos Jr. allegedly touched the boy's buttocks over his clothes. When the boy looked at him, Santos Jr. allegedly masturbated his exposed penis in front of the boy, Calo said.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit and the Garfield Police Department investigated what occurred.

Santos Jr. was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of sexual assault by sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child. He was scheduled for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack Wednesday.

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: Hector Santos Jr., 41, of Garfield (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office)