NJ police charge man and woman in years-long sexual abuse of juvenile

🚨A couple is charged after the wife's daughter reported repeated sexual assaults

🚨Police say the alleged abuse occurred over three years when the victim was a teen

🚨Other possible victims or witnesses are urged to come forward

MANTUA — A married couple has been charged after her daughter told police she had been sexually assaulted by her husband several times over the course of three years when she was a juvenile.

Township police said Michael Brown, 46, and Valerie Brown, 44, were charged with endangering the welfare of a child after a woman said they had sexually assaulted her several times between 2018 and 2020.  She said the assaults began when she was 13 years old. She is now an adult.

Police said the victim told them Michael at first sexually touched her but the activity escalated. Michael picked her up from school and brought her to a Best Western motel where she was sexually assaulted, the suspect told police

Valerie was aware of the hotel encounters when she saw charges for the room in bank statements, according to police.  Michael and the girl had sexual conversations on the phone which were recorded by victim. Valerie ordered her daughter to erase the conversations which she later told police were "just a joke."

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Police urge other potential victims to come forward

Michael Brown was also charged with second-degree sexual assault of a minor between the ages of 13 and 16 and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor. Valerie Brown also faces a charge of tampering of evidence. The relationship between them and the victim was not disclosed.

West Deptford and Woodbury police were also involved in the investigation as some of their meetings took place in those towns.

Police encouraged other possible victims, or anyone with information about this case, to contact them at 856-589-0911.

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