Union City Man Charged With Sexual Offenses & Endangering Welfare of Child

The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has announced that a 22-year old man from Union City has been arrested and charged with various sexual offenses and endangering the welfare of a child.

According to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, Elmer Barranco was apprehended on Thursday, March 27, 2025 and charged with sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child.  Musella says the arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Oakland Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Captain Timothy Keenan.

A press release from the Prosecutor’s Office states, “On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the Oakland Police Department responded to a report of someone screaming in the area of Ramapo Valley Road and East Oak Street.  Upon arrival, responding officers located a child between the ages of 13 – 16 who had an altercation with an adult male inside of a vehicle. Officers located the vehicle and its driver, who was later identified as ELMER BARRANCO, and observed that he was under the influence of alcohol. Accordingly, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit were notified, responded, and initiated a joint investigation with the Oakland Police Department. Detectives determined that ELMER BARRANCO, who was acquainted with the victim, sexually assaulted and endangered the juvenile inside the vehicle in Oakland, as well as in Clifton, NJ on March 27, 2025.”

As a result of the investigation, police arrested Barranco in Oakland, charging him with two counts of second-degree sexual assault; two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child; two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.  He was also issued summonses for several motor vehicle violations.  Barranco was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.

Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.