Man Charged With Sex Crimes After Undercover Online Investigation

A 25-year-old New York man was arrested in Lincoln Park and charged with sex crimes on Sept. 6 after a two-month investigation determined he allegedly attempted to have sex with a 15-year-old.

Scott R. Sudds, of Greenville, NY, was charged with one count of second-degree luring; one count of third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child; one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of posession of handcuffs. He was sent to the Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Weapons charges against Sudds are also pending against Sudds, as officials said he was found to be in possession of two rifles, two 30-round magazines and hollow point bullets at the time of the arrest.

Sudds was arrested by the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Sex Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Lincoln Park Police Department. Both agencies conducted the investigation, which began in July 2012 when law enforcement officials alleged Sudds had attempted to contact the child electronically and through the telephone for sexually explicit reasons. Also during the investigation, a member of the county's Sex Crimes Unit communicated with Sudds undercover, according to Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi.

"Both the Lincoln Park Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office worked with great skill and attention to investigate this case," Bianchi said in a press release Tuesday. "While social media has many advantages, we emphasize in our community education that children are more vulnerable than ever due to the utilization of their computers, phones and other electronic devices."

The prosecutor's office is encouraging anyone who has communicated with Sudds or has information about him to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes Unit at (973) 285-6200 or the Morris County Sheriff’s Crime Stopper Program at (973) COPCALL.