An Emerson NJ man has been accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl.

44-year-old Karl Weckstrom was arrested by police after an investigation into claims that he engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with a child.

According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Mr. Weckstrom was an acquaintance of the girl.

When the NJ Division of Child Protection and Permanency learned of the possible sexual assault, the agency contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit. A subsequent investigation confirmed, to the department’s satisfaction, that a sexual assault had taken place.

Mr. Weckstrom has been charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

In New Jersey, the penalties for aggravated sexual assault are severe. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a, aggravated sexual assault is a first degree felony, punishable by a term of incarceration of between 10 and 20 years in NJ State Prison. Beyond that, because the No Early Release Act (NERA) applies to sexual assault convictions, Mr. Weckstrom would be required to serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

After being arrested, Mr. Weckstrom was taken to the Bergen County Jail, where he was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

 

To learn more about this case, see the NJ.com article entitled “12-Year-Old Girl Sexually Assaulted by Emerson Man Prosecutor Says.“