Crime & Safety

Lakewood Men Charged in Sex Assault on Girl, 15

Prosecutors: men provided alcohol before assault took place

A pair of Lakewood men are facing a number of sex charges in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl at a party over the weekend.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office began investigating the incident after the girl disclosed to the Lakewood Police Department that two men, ultimately identified as Luis Menes Pastrana, 23 and Carlos Chavez-Rosas, 22, had allegedly sexually assaulted her in the early morning hours of July 20. 

The victim was immediately transported to Kimball Medical Center with her guardian to undergo a forensic nurse examination, said Al Della Fave, prosecutor's office spokesman.

Following the examination, the victim provided two detectives with a formal statement relating that she attended a party with Pastrana and Chavez-Rosas, during which which Chavez-Rosas allegedly supplied her with alcohol, Della Fave said. Pastrana and Chavez-Rosas then drove the victim from the party to a residence where Chavez-Rosas again provided the victim with alcohol, he said, after which she was sexually assaulted by the two men.

Lakewood Police Detective Joseph Gregg and Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit Detective Stephanie Bayha arrested Pastrana at his home on Coral Avenue later on Sunday. Gregg and Detective Melissa Matthews arrested Chavez-Rosas' at his Marlin Avenue residence on Monday.

Pastrana is charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child while Chavez-Rosas is facing charges of criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child and providing alcohol to a minor. Pastrana's bail was set at $250,000 cash; Chavez-Rosas' bail was set at $70,000 cash.

Both were being held in the Ocean County Jail in lieu of bail on Monday.


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