A former cop with the Newton police force in Sussex County remains behind bars after being charged with sexual assault and failing to post bail.

The suspect allegedly committed the sex crime in December 2016. According to the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect molested the young victim in the bathroom of a Burger King restaurant in Hampton, NJ.

The victim was 16 years old when the suspect reportedly committed the sexual offense.

Authorities learned about the sexual assault allegations and investigated the suspect before arresting him. He was initially taken to the Sussex County Jail, but he later got transferred to a jail in Morris County because he used to be a police officer in Sussex County.

Although the suspect’s bail amount was reduced from $200,000 to $150,000 more than a month ago, he has been unable to post bail. As a result, the suspect remains in police custody while prosecutors prepare for a grand jury hearing.

If a Sussex County NJ grand jury decides to indict the suspect on the sex crime charges, he would likely have to answer the charges at trial.

The suspect was previously employed by the Newton Police Department. He was forced to resign a couple of years ago after he pleaded guilty to charges of lewdness in connection with multiple incidents involving inappropriate traffic stops.

For additional information about this case, see the NJ.com article, “Ex-Cop Remains Jailed on Burger King Sex Assault Charge Despite Lower Bail.”