FORKED RIVER – A Forked River man pled guilty to charges after engaging in sexual contact with two 13-year old males dating back from 1997 and 1998, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato.
Philip M. Caputo, 62, pled guilty to one count of Sexual Assault 2nd degree and one count of Attempted Sexual Assault 2nd degree before Judge Therese A. Cunningham, J.S.C. on June 1.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit conducted an investigation that began in December 2015 when the first male victim contacted the Unit with reports of sexual assault by Caputo. The victim reported that Caputo had assaulted him back in 1998, when he was 12, on multiple occasions in Lacey Township, NJ and Florida.
The second male victim later alleged that Caputo attempted to sexually assault him from the ages of 11 to 17.
The investigation revealed each victim was known to Caputo at the time of the alleged offenses.
Caputo was arrested on April 1, 2016 by SVU Detective Alex Bromley and Lacey Township Police Department Detective Brian Flynn at his residence, 402 Musket Road.
His bail is set at $200,000 cash and Judge James M. Blaney imposed no contact with the victims. Caputo remains free on bail pending his sentencing that will be set after an Avenel evaluation.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office encourages any other victims to contact Det. Alexander Bromley of the Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit at 732-929-2027.
