Adolfo Cruz-Garcia was arrested October 20 and awaits a detention hearing as ICE lodges an immigration detainer.

ASBURY PARK, NJ — Adolfo A. Cruz-Garcia, 23, is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold after his arrest on charges of kidnapping and repeatedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl.

Cruz is an illegal alien, according to ICE and the federal agency is asking Monmouth County to not release him under New Jersey’s Bail Reform Law.

Cruz-Garcia was arrested without incident near his Haledon home on October 20. His detention hearing is tentatively scheduled for October 26, and prosecutors are seeking to keep him jailed while the case proceeds.

ICE has also lodged an immigration detainer against him.

Threats over photographs allegedly preceded assault

Prosecutors say Cruz-Garcia met the child through social media on October 2. Despite knowing her age, he allegedly solicited explicit photographs and offered her money for sexual acts.

Hours later, he allegedly arrived at her Asbury Park home and threatened to share the photographs with her family and friends unless she came outside.

Investigators say he lured her into the rear of his vehicle, sexually assaulted her multiple times and later dropped her off near her home.

Kidnapping, assault and extortion charges filed

Cruz-Garcia faces first-degree aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, along with second-degree aggravated sexual extortion and sexual assault and third-degree endangering.

The investigation involved the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Bureau and Asbury Park Police Department. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Stephanie Regina at 732-431-7160, extension 8791, or Detective Terrence McGhee at 732-502-5781.