What to Know
- The proprietor of a whole bunch of rental models scattered throughout 18 residential properties in Elizabeth has been arrested and charged with coercing greater than a dozen of his tenants into sexual acts in change for monetary reduction, in response to the Union County Prosecutor’s Workplace.
- Joseph Centanni, 73, of Mountainside is charged with eight counts of second-degree sexual assault, one rely of second-degree tried sexual assault, and 14 counts of fourth-degree felony sexual contact in reference to incidents going down at varied instances from 2016 into 2020, performing Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Elizabeth Police Division Chief Giacomo Sacca and Director Earl Graves collectively introduced Monday.
- The costs stem from a long-term investigation revealed that Centanni allegedly focused related victims: tenants or potential tenants who had been homeless, dealing with eviction, or struggling financially. Every of the alleged focused tenants reported feeling as if that they had no alternative however to yield to his calls for resulting from their private circumstances together with making an attempt to take care of a roof over their heads for his or her younger kids, in response to prosecutors.
The proprietor of a whole bunch of rental models scattered throughout 18 residential properties in Elizabeth has been arrested and charged with coercing not less than 13 of his tenants into sexual acts in change for monetary reduction, in response to the Union County Prosecutor’s Workplace.
Joseph Centanni, 73, of Mountainside is charged with eight counts of second-degree sexual assault, one rely of second-degree tried sexual assault, and 14 counts of fourth-degree felony sexual contact in reference to incidents going down at varied instances from 2016 into 2020, performing Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Elizabeth Police Division Chief Giacomo Sacca and Director Earl Graves collectively introduced Monday. If convicted, second-degree crimes are generally punishable by phrases of 5 to 10 years in state jail.
Centanni was taken into custody Friday morning and is within the Union County Jail pending a primary look and detention listening to scheduled to happen in Union County Superior Court docket.
Legal professional info for Centanni was not instantly recognized.
The costs stem from a long-term investigation revealed that Centanni allegedly focused related victims: tenants or potential tenants who had been homeless, dealing with eviction, or struggling financially. Every of the alleged focused tenants reported feeling as if that they had no alternative however to yield to his calls for resulting from their private circumstances together with making an attempt to take care of a roof over their heads for his or her younger kids, in response to prosecutors.
“Utilizing a place of energy and privilege to prey on the vulnerabilities and desperations of others isn’t just improper – on this case it is usually felony,” Ruotolo mentioned.
Centanni allegedly described the intercourse acts he solicited from his victims as a quid professional quo — providing them lease reductions, eviction delays, or different types of monetary help in change for the intercourse acts. Moreover, Centanni additionally allegedly threatened tenants who hesitated or refused his advances with eviction and different types of retaliation.
Utilizing a place of energy and privilege to prey on the vulnerabilities and desperations of others isn’t just improper – on this case it is usually felony.
Lyndsay V. Ruotolo, Appearing Union County Prosecutor
In accordance with Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, who’s prosecuting the case, the intercourse acts happened in laundry, storage, or boiler rooms at his properties, in addition to in a pattern house unit meant to be proven to potential renters.
Union County Prosecutors additionally imagine that there could also be extra victims of Centanni who’ve but to come back ahead. Anybody with details about Centanni’s actions is urged to contact Detective Son of the Union County Prosecutor’s Workplace at 908-477-1698.
Centanni can be the topic of one other separate and ongoing Truthful Housing Act lawsuit introduced on by the USA Division of Justice for subjecting tenants to sexual harassment, U.S. Legal professional Craig Carpenito introduced.
Authorities remind the general public they’ll report sexual harassment and different types of housing discrimination by contacting the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace Civil Rights Hotline at 855-281-3339, or by emailing the Justice Division at fairhousing@usdoj.gov.
