Morris County, NJ Man Charged with Lewdness in Delaware
A Morristown, New Jersey man was recently placed on leave from his high-ranking executive position at an Essex County, NJ hospital after he was arrested for allegedly committing numerous sex offenses in Delaware.
The suspect is 57-year-old Gerald Picerno, who resides in Morristown NJ and who reportedly serves as the chief strategy officer at RWJBarnabas Health in West Orange, NJ. According to authorities, Picerno faces criminal charges after law enforcement in Delaware connected him to multiple incidents involving lewd behavior around the University of Delaware campus. The first three incidents reportedly occurred during a span of a few hours on September 15. Picerno allegedly put a lewd note on a chair outside a residence on South Chapel Street. Later, Picerno allegedly walked toward a woman seated in a car parked along the 100 block of East Main Street and started to masturbate. Then, less than a half-hour after that incident, Picerno allegedly removed his clothing and approached two females in a parking lot on the 200 block of East Main Street. The fourth lewd incident happened one month later, on October 15, with Picerno allegedly exposing himself to a person at the Roselle Center for the Arts on the University of Delaware campus.
Police detectives in Delaware investigated the alleged sex crimes and eventually identified Picerno as a possible suspect. Investigators reportedly matched Picerno’s fingerprints to the harassing letter that was left at the first residence and detectives reportedly got video surveillance footage showing Picerno walking around the University of Delaware campus at the time of the lewd sex acts.
Significant Penalties for Sex Crime Convictions
Picerno faces numerous criminal charges, including charges for lewdness, indecent exposure, criminal trespassing, and harassment. Moreover, since police in Delaware are still investigating Picerno, it’s possible that additional charges could be forthcoming. Although the criminal charges were filed in Delaware, a conviction could affect Picerno in his home state of NJ as well.
In addition to facing criminal charges in Delaware, Picerno’s job at RWJBarnabas in New Jersey could be in jeopardy because of his alleged criminal misconduct. Not long after Delaware authorities placed Picerno under arrest, an RWJBarnabas spokesperson sent an email to the media and stated that Picerno had been “placed on leave.”
Contact an Aggressive Morris County, NJ Criminal Defense Attorney Who Will Help You Fight Sex Crime Charges
When it comes to sex crime charges in NJ, or in another state, it is imperative that you build a strong defense right from the beginning. That’s because even being accused of a sex offense can cause serious problems in your personal life and affect your social relationships and employment status.
The Tormey Law Firm is a criminal defense law firm with extensive experience handling sex crime cases throughout New Jersey. Contact us now to go over your legal options and to start fighting your criminal charges in Morris County or elsewhere in NJ.