Rich Mastrangelo for Essex County Sheriff

PREDATORS IN OUR MIDST

Mastrangelo Calls for Essex Internet Child Safety Unit;
Fontoura's Website Remains Stuck in 1998

(Cedar Grove, NJ) -- U.S. Attorney Chris Christie announced yesterday the arrest of 14 child pornography offenders, including a man from Verona. In response, Essex Sheriff's candidate Rich Mastrangelo today reiterated his call for the creation of a detective's unit to catch online predators.

"Today's predators don't need to hang around school bus stops. They could be talking to our children in our own living rooms through the computer. Bergen, Passaic, and Westchester Counties all have units designed to set up stings to catch predators, just like you may have seen on Dateline. Essex County has nothing.""We can't afford to wait for Armando Fontoura to start an Internet Child Safety Unit. He is so far behind the curve on Internet issues that he hasn't seen to the updating of the Sheriff's Department website since 1998. Essex County needs a new Sheriff with the vision to tackle the problems of today. After 16 years, it is time for a change."

Rich has spent much of his law enforcement career fighting to protect our children and those most vulnerable. When in the Essex County Prosecutor's Office he initiated and coordinated investigations of child abusers and sexual assault offenders. Rich later joined the New Jersey Attorney General's Office where he was assigned to investigate allegations of physical and sexual abuse in daycares, hospitals, correctional and school facilities.

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CONTACT: Jack Grimes
(908) 887-2268 cell