By: Tracie Carter
A 54-year-old Hawthorne man has been arrested following an investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted an 80-year-old woman who authorities said was physically helpless.
According to a statement released by Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, Hawthorne Police Chief James W. Knepper and Haledon Police Chief Angelo J. Daniele, John Schweininger was taken into custody Wednesday, August 26.
Authorities said Hawthorne Police were notified at approximately 11:11 p.m. on August 22 of allegations that Schweininger had engaged in non-consensual sexual acts with the elderly woman, who investigators said was physically helpless due to her infirmities.
Officials said the woman was a member of Schweininger’s household.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit was notified and took the lead in the investigation alongside Hawthorne Police.
Following the investigation, authorities obtained a warrant for Schweininger’s arrest.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, members of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and Haledon Police Department located Schweininger near Mountain Avenue and Lewis Street in Haledon and arrested him without incident.
Prosecutors charged Schweininger with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault and third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact.