New Jersey police officer suspended for attempted sexual assault

A New Jersey state trooper has been suspended on suspicion of arranging a sexual encounter and obtaining sexually explicit images with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.

Monmouth County prosecutors say 31-year-old Shane Dempsey offered money for sex to a teenager who was an undercover police officer.

Dempsey faces multiple criminal charges after prosecutors say a detective was on the social media app Whisper when they were contacted by the trooper. They say Dempsey tried to arrange a sexual encounter with a detective posing as a 14-year-old girl. Prosecutors say Dempsey also tried to solicit sexually explicit photos. State police say he has been suspended without pay.

Dempsey lives in Brick but was taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, where he awaits his appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court. He was charged with attempted second-degree endangerment of the welfare of a child by allowing the child to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM), attempted second-degree prostitution, attempted second-degree seduction, attempted second-degree sexual assault and attempted third-degree endangerment of the welfare of a child by sexual conduct.

Anyone with additional information regarding Dempsey’s activities is asked to contact MCPO Detective Anthony Lacher at 800-533-7443.