BERGEN COUNTY, NJ – Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Eric Palese, a 27-year-old warehouse manager from Tarrytown, NY, on charges of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal sexual contact. The arrest resulted from an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the River Edge Police Department following an anonymous tip received through the BCPO’s Cyber Tip line.
On March 27, 2023, the Prosecutor’s Office received a tip regarding an alleged sexual assault of a child. The caller reported that the suspect had contacted the child via social media and sexually assaulted the victim in River Edge, NJ. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the River Edge Police Department revealed that Palese had sexually assaulted the victim, who was under 16 years old, in River Edge, NJ, on multiple occasions.
On Tuesday, Palese was arrested and charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. He is currently being held at the Westchester County Jail pending extradition to Bergen County. Prosecutor Musella praised the tipster’s courage in coming forward and urged anyone with information about similar crimes to contact the authorities.
