The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit has charged a Newark Police Officer with a sex crime against a female Uber driver, an incident that reportedly happened while she was in driving in Kearny, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
Karon Bell, 23, of Newark, was charged with one count of criminal sexual contact and was arrested by the Newark Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 — and then taken into custody by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit.
Bell was released on a summons and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday, Feb. 25, 2022.
Suarez says on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, a 36-year-old woman reported to the Kearny Police Department she was the victim of a sex crime while working as an Uber driver. The victim told police she had never met the suspect before and he identified himself as a cop.
An investigation by the Special Victims Unit identified Bell, who off duty at the time, as the suspect wanted in connection with the incident.
Suarez credited the Special Victims Unit with the investigation and thanked the Kearny and Newark police departments for their assistance.
Anyone wishing to report a sex crime should call the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) at (201) 915-1234.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.