An accused pedophile from Newark who police say kept mummified remains in his closet told authorities he practices a religion that has been linked to grave robberies, said Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Morris on Monday.

Robert Frank Williams, 52, said he practices Palo, which originated in Africa and is practiced in Latin American countries. The religion sometimes uses bones in ceremonies and has been linked to grave robberies in Venezuela, according to the New York Times.

Detectives found the mummified human remains in a bin and an altar in Williams’ bedroom when they executed a search warrant related to sexual assault charges, authorities said. Authorities found a head, torso and one arm inside Williams’ closet, Morris said.

“There’s flesh on it,” Morris said outside of the courtroom where Williams made his first court appearance. He added there was a neck tie and suit around the torso that was found.

Williams faces charges of various endangering the welfare of a child offenses and sexual assault of a victim between the ages of 13 and 15, child luring and desecration of human remains.

He pleaded not guilty. Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler ordered he be detained while awaiting trial.

A spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office said the bones are still being reviewed by the medical examiner and it is unclear if they are related to a homicide.

This is not the first time Newark-area police have run up against a practitioner of Palo. In 1999, Kearny police charged a priest in the religion and several of his followers with stealing the remains of an infant who’d been dead for more than 80 years, the Wall Street Journal reported. In another case, the Journal reported at the time, grave robbers stole the remains of a Newark tavern owner who’d been dead for 13 years.

In 2002, Newark police busted a ritual-in-progress in a religious-items store, finding parts of five corpses, the Journal reported.

Wigler, the judge, noted the state would have “strong case” since Williams gave a statement to police that corroborated the alleged victim’s version of events. The boy was 12 when the alleged sexual assault began and continued until he was 13, Wigler said.

“Apparently, you had, on your cellphone, videotaped this incident and then you transmitted it or you sent it to the victim,” Wigler said to Williams.

Williams, who has been living in Newark since 2016, only nodded and said “yes, sir” to acknowledge the judge during his hearing.

Susan Freedman, a public defender for Williams, argued that he should remain free while awaiting trial because he only had one prior disorderly persons offense from about 2006.

“When he was arrested,” Freedman said of Williams’ most recent arrest, “he was cooperative with police.”

Williams next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 16 before Superior Court Judge Michael Ravin.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico.

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