For Immediate Release: August 25, 2022

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of JOSE PATRICIO-MANZANO (DOB: 04/17/1983; married; janitor) of Ridgefield Park, NJ on aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and aggravated criminal sexual contact charges.  The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Ridgefield Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Joseph Rella.

On Monday, August 22, 2022, the Ridgefield Park Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding the alleged sexual assault of a child.  An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ridgefield Park Police Department revealed that JOSE PATRICIO-MANZANO sexually assaulted a child relative who was less than 16 years old in Ridgefield Park, NJ on more than one occasion. 

As a result of the investigation, on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, JOSE PATRICIO-MANZANO was arrested in Paramus, NJ and charged with three counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(2)(a); second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(1); and two counts of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, N.J.S.A. 2C:14-3a.  PATRICIO-MANZANO was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ.   

Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and he would like to thank the Ridgefield Park Police Department for its assistance in this investigation.