KENILWORTH, NJ – A North Plainfield police offer was arrested and charged with a sexual assault that occurred last March, according to Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park.

Mike Jean-Baptiste, 29, encountered an adult woman while on duty and sexually assaulted her later that night at The Kenilworth, according to the prosecutor’s office. He was taken into custody without incident on Monday and placed in Union County Jail with a first appearance in court scheduled for today, the prosecutor’s office said.

According to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Scott Peterson, who is prosecuting the case, the Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit investigation was initiated by a referral from the Kenilworth Police Department.

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"We cooperated with the prosecutor’s office anf the North Plainfield Police Department," Kenilworth Police Chief John Zimmerman said. "They really took the lead on it. We took the first call and transferred it over to them."

The Prosecutor’s Office thanks the Kenilworth Police Department and urges anyone with information about this matter or other occurrences with Jean-Baptiste to contact Special Victims Unit Sgt. Patricia Gusmano at 908-965-387, according to the prosecutor’s office.

According to the prosecutor’s office, convictions on second-degree crimes are typically punishable by five to 10 years in state prison.