New Jersey trooper tried to pay for sex with person he believed was 14.Ex-state trooper sentenced to seven years for attempted sex assault of minor in FreeholdProsecutor says former
FREEHOLD, NJ – A former New Jersey State Police trooper has been sentenced to seven years in state prison after admitting he tried to arrange a sexual encounter with a minor during an undercover investigation, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced.
Shane H. Dempsey, 33, was sentenced Wednesday by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Henry P. Butehorn. Under the sentence, Dempsey must serve at least two years before becoming eligible for parole. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law, remain under Parole Supervision for Life, and is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.
The case began when a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office detective, working in an undercover capacity on the social media app Whisper, was contacted by a user later identified as Dempsey. Prosecutors said Dempsey used the platform to solicit sexually explicit images and offered money in exchange for a sexual act from someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Dempsey arrived at a planned meeting location in Freehold driving his police-issued vehicle, at which point he was arrested without incident.
Undercover operation leads to arrest
Investigators said the sting was part of a broader effort to identify and apprehend individuals using social media to target minors. Dempsey’s communications with the undercover detective provided sufficient evidence for his arrest and subsequent charges. Authorities emphasized that the operation prevented what could have been a serious crime involving an actual child victim.
Following his arrest, Dempsey was suspended and later terminated from the New Jersey State Police. He pleaded guilty on August 4 to second-degree attempted sexual assault and third-degree official misconduct.
Prosecutor condemns abuse of public trust
Prosecutor Santiago said Dempsey’s actions represented a grave violation of public trust and law enforcement integrity. “This case underscores that no one is above the law, particularly those sworn to uphold it,” Santiago said in a statement.
Officials said the investigation was handled by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office’s Computer Crimes and Special Victims Units. The sentence formally closes the case that began with the undercover operation last summer.
FREEHOLD, NJ – A former New Jersey State Police trooper has been sentenced to seven years in state prison after admitting he tried to arrange a sexual encounter with a minor during an undercover investigation, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced.
Shane H. Dempsey, 33, was sentenced Wednesday by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Henry P. Butehorn. Under the sentence, Dempsey must serve at least two years before becoming eligible for parole. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law, remain under Parole Supervision for Life, and is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.
The case began when a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office detective, working in an undercover capacity on the social media app Whisper, was contacted by a user later identified as Dempsey. Prosecutors said Dempsey used the platform to solicit sexually explicit images and offered money in exchange for a sexual act from someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Dempsey arrived at a planned meeting location in Freehold driving his police-issued vehicle, at which point he was arrested without incident.
Undercover operation leads to arrest
Investigators said the sting was part of a broader effort to identify and apprehend individuals using social media to target minors. Dempsey’s communications with the undercover detective provided sufficient evidence for his arrest and subsequent charges. Authorities emphasized that the operation prevented what could have been a serious crime involving an actual child victim.
Following his arrest, Dempsey was suspended and later terminated from the New Jersey State Police. He pleaded guilty on August 4 to second-degree attempted sexual assault and third-degree official misconduct.
Prosecutor condemns abuse of public trust
Prosecutor Santiago said Dempsey’s actions represented a grave violation of public trust and law enforcement integrity. “This case underscores that no one is above the law, particularly those sworn to uphold it,” Santiago said in a statement.
Officials said the investigation was handled by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office’s Computer Crimes and Special Victims Units. The sentence formally closes the case that began with the undercover operation last summer.
