By: Richard L. Smith
Mr. Neil Rosenstein, 78, of Elizabeth, has been charged and arrested for alleged explicit offenses committed against a minor, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges.
Rosenstein faces several charges, including second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree aggravated criminal explicit contact, and fourth-degree criminal explicit contact.
The investigation into this case began in October of 2022 when the Elizabeth Police Department received information regarding alleged explicit acts involving Rosenstein and a child that had occurred several years prior.
A joint investigation by the Elizabeth Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor's Office's Special Victims Unit revealed that the assault took place in Elizabeth during the summer of 2015.
At that time, the victim was a fifteen-year-old.
Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor is handling the prosecution of the case, emphasizing the severity of the allegations.
Rosenstein's arrest occurred on October 20, 2023, at Newark Liberty International Airport. He had just arrived on a flight from outside the country.
Following his arrest, he was remanded to the Essex County Jail, where he will await further legal proceedings.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities encourage anyone with additional information to come forward.
They can contact Union County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit Detective Scott Chertoff at (908) 358-9162 or Elizabeth Police Department Detective Neptune Ambroise at (908) 558-2014.
It's important to note that these criminal charges are accusations. Rosenstein is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, a principle central to the justice system.