A Plainfield man has been charged with sexually assaulting two children in separate incidents at a church in North Plainfield, the Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald announced Friday.
Pierre Joseph, 68, is being held in the Somerset County Jail on two counts of sexual assault on a minor and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Pierre was arrested on June 23, after a seven-year-old boy claimed Pierre followed him into the bathroom, pulled down his pants and underwear and touched him, the prosecutor’s office said. The prosecutor’s office declined to identify the church.
North Plainfield police were called to the church around 4:38 p.m. that day after the boy reported the alleged assault to another adult, who then told the pastor. Joseph had been detained at the church, and North Plainfield police called in the Somerset County Special Victim’s Unit to interview the boy, authorities said.
During the investigation it was learned that a nine-year boy alleged he’d been victimized in a “similar incident” involving Joseph, which occurred at the church in either January or February of 2024, the prosecutor’s office said. Detectives from the Special Victims Unit interviewed the nine-year-old late on June 23, and Pierre was arrested and booked on two counts of sexual assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutor’s office said.
Joseph was described by the prosecutor’s office as a “congregant” of the church. He remains behind bars as he awaits a detention hearing.
The prosecutor’s office is asking anyone with information relating to the alleged sexual assaults to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at 908-231-7100 or the North Plainfield Police Department at 908-769-2900.
There is also an app, The STOPit app, that allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. The accesst code for STOPit is SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be left on the Somerset County CrimeStoppers tip line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477).
Stories by Richard Cowen
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Richard Cowen may be reached at rcowen@njadvancemedia.com.