Prosecutor: Former Area Cop Pleads Guilty to Endangerment, Sexually Explicit Criminal Computer Activity Involving Two Teen Girls

A former area police officer has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from engaging in criminal activities involving the sexual exploitation and endangerment of two teenage girls, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Thursday.

During a hearing held yesterday before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley, 49-year-old Kevin Ruditsky, a former Manalapan officer, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree computer criminal activity and one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Sentencing in the case has been tentatively scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 20, at which time the state intends to seek a term of 10 years in state prison, along with registration as a sex offender under Megan’s Law, parole supervision for life, and no contact with either victim. An order was also signed yesterday permanently barring Ruditsky from any form of public service in New Jersey.

The case background …

An investigation by the MCPO Professional Responsibility Unit was initiated in August of 2023, upon receipt of information that Ruditsky had been sending inappropriate messages to one of the victims. The investigation determined that the conduct began during Manalapan Township’s 2023 National Night Out event, part of a community outreach campaign in which numerous police departments countywide annually participate.

Ruditsky was in full uniform at the time, and allowed the 16-year-old to sit in his patrol car. During yesterday’s hearing, he admitted that while aware of her age, he engaged in a variety of conduct that endangered her welfare.

Specifically, Ruditsky admitted that he sent the victim sexually explicit messages and photos via social media. Ruditsky further acknowledged that several days later, he pulled the victim over on Route 9, unlawfully handcuffed her, and attempted to kiss her.

Ruditsky also admitted that on one occasion, while on duty, he parked his marked patrol vehicle outside of the victim’s home, in a neighboring town, at around 2:30 a.m. in the morning. The conduct only stopped when the matter was reported to law enforcement.

Ruditsky also admitted that he conducted improper lookups of the victim in a law-enforcement database, and that the prior year, in December 2022, he looked up the personal information of a second underage girl in a law-enforcement database, outside the scope of any legitimate law-enforcement purpose.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office