LITTLE EGG HARBOR, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey’s new bail system has led a police chief to issue a warning to residents after a convicted sex offender accused of soliciting a 12-year-old girl for sexual favors was put on house arrest.
The state Supreme Court, the Appellate Court and Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels denied prosecutors’ request to keep Christopher Wilson, 20, of Little Egg Harbor, in jail until they appealed. On Wednesday, Daniels placed Wilson under house arrest with electronic monitoring, applying bail rules that took effect on Jan. 1 to keep nonviolent offenders who don’t have the financial means to make bail from remaining incarcerated.
Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato argued Wilson posed a risk to children because in 2009 he was ordered to register as a sex offender. Wilson is currently facing charges of attempted sexual assault and child endangerment. A public defender representing Wilson said Friday he could not comment.
Little Egg Harbor Police Chief Richard Buzby warned parents to be vigilant, but did not name Wilson.
“There is, at present, an allegation that this subject has re-offended with a local child,” Buzby wrote on the department’s Facebook page. “An arrest has been made, and all appropriate charges have been filed, but the new bail reform protocol has determined that he does not present a threat, and he was released by a Superior Court judge this afternoon.”
Buzby told The Asbury Park Press that the elimination of bail has removed a safety valve that once offered a possibility to keep convicted sex offenders behind bars on new charges.
Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, told NJ.com the office is continuing with a full appeal, which could take several months.
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