A suspended Manalapan Township, New Jersey, police officer has been charged after being accused of engaging in a pattern of illegal behavior involving two teenage girls, the Monmouth County Prosecutor announced on Thursday.
Kevin Ruditsky, 47, is charged with numerous charges including engaging in a pattern of official misconduct, computer criminal activity, endangering the welfare of a child, hindering apprehension, impersonating a law enforcement officer (while suspended from duty), and stalking.
An investigation began in August 2023 after information was obtained that Ruditsky was sending inappropriate messages and photos to one of the victims, who was 16 at the time, according to officials.
The investigation revealed that the inappropriate conduct began during the Manalapan Township 2023 National Night Out event, an annual community outreach campaign that numerous police departments participate in nationwide.
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At this event, officials claim Ruditsky was in full uniform when he allowed the 16-year-old victim to sit in his patrol car. Following that event, later that same evening and in the days following, he allegedly began sending the victim sexually explicit messages and photos via social media, despite the victim informing him of her age, officials stated in a news release.
Investigators also said that Ruditsky pulled over the victim while she was driving on Route 9, unlawfully handcuffed her and attempted to kiss her while his dash camera and body-worn camera were turned off.
In another incident, while Ruditsky was on duty, the prosecutor’s office claims he parked his marked patrol car outside the 16-year-old victim’s home in the middle of the night after she refused to give him her address.
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Officials also said Ruditsky sent inappropriate messages to another victim in December 2022, who was 17 at the time. Additionally, he conducted improper searches of both victims in a law-enforcement database, which was outside the scope of any legitimate law enforcement purpose.
Anyone with information about this or related matters is urged to contact MCPO Detective Gregory Hilton II at 800-533-7443.
NBC10 has reached out to the attorney representing Ruditsky but have not heard back yet.
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