MONMOUTH COUNTY – An investigation conducted by the Ocean Township Police Department with the assistance of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit resulted in the arrest of a Massachusetts man in connection with sexual text message communications sent to an undercover police officer posing as an eleven-year old Monmouth County girl, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Michael Camacho, 55, formerly of Lake Como and most recently of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree Luring, second-degree Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a child, two counts of third-degree Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and third-degree Attempted Obscenity to a Minor.
Camacho was arrested by members of the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Office of the Attorney General, Massachusetts Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crime Division, and the New Bedford Police Department in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
The investigation began when Camacho contacted the female child on her cell phone. An undercover detective with the Ocean Township Police Department took control of the child’s phone and began communicating with Camacho posing as the child.
The communications between Camacho and the undercover detective spanned weeks. During the text message conversations with the undercover detective, Camacho discussed engaging in sexual activity with the child, sent obscene photographs of himself to the child, requested that the child send him photographs of herself, and discussed meeting up with the child.
The Ocean Township Police Department and Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office located Camacho in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crime Division and New Bedford Police Department provided substantial assistance in locating Camacho in New Bedford and arresting him on the outstanding charges.
Camacho faces a sentence of five to ten years in a New Jersey state prison and is subject to the provisions of Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life upon his release if convicted of either of the second-degree charges. He faces a sentence of three to five years in a New Jersey state prison on the third-degree charges. A conviction of any of the third-degree Attempted Endangering charges would also invoke the provisions of Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life.
Camacho has waived extradition and is pending transportation to New Jersey to face these charges.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have information about this investigation, or who feels they may have been subject to inappropriate online communications by Camacho, to call Detective Michael Melody of the Ocean Township Police Department at 732-897-3242 or Detective Tiffany Lenart of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit at 732-431-7160.
