Jersey City police say homeless man charged with groping a 17-year-old Dickinson High School student

Published: Friday, March 30, 2012, 3:02 AM
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

A homeless Jersey City man was arrested yesterday after allegedly groping a 17-year-old Dickinson High School student while she was walking behind the school, beneath the New Jersey Turnpike, officials said.

Johnny Cucci, 52, was charged with criminal sexual contact after the incident occurred around 2 p.m. and he was being processed at the East District Police Station yesterday evening, officials said.

Police spokesman Stan Eason said that while the girl, who was not hurt, was walking in the desolate area she passed Cucci and he allegedly grabbed her ?torso area.? The girl called friends and the friends were apparently on their way, so Cucci used his cellphone to call police, Eason said.

Police detectives Mark Razzoli and Al Lopez were on the scene ?in no time at all? to make the arrest, Eason said.

Police took statements from a number of the victim?s friends yesterday evening, he added.

In 1998, Cucci was arrested in Jersey City by Port Authority Police on a fugitive from justice warrant based on a charge in another jurisdiction, officials said. It could not be determined what the underlying charge was in that case.

Criminal sexual contact is a fourth-degree crime and carries a possible prison sentence of up to 18 months upon conviction.


Johnny Cucci, 52, is taken into the Jersey City Police Department's East District today, where he was charged with criminal sexual contact, police said.