Another Hackensack Adult Charged In Child Rape Case: Prosecutor

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A 42-year-old Hackensack man was charged with sexual assault and child endangerment after an investigation into past abuse, authorities said.

Fernando Sandoval sexually assaulted and endangered a juvenile in Hackensack more than once between Dec. 21, 2024, and Nov. 2, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

A criminal complaint obtained by Daily Voice shows that Sandoval held the child down and forcefully penetrated them.

Jennifer Garcia-Mota

Bergen County Prosecutor's Office

Authorities have not said whether the case is connected to the arrest of 42-year-old Jennifer Garcia-Mota of Hackensack, who was charged last week in a separate investigation covering the exact same date range. In that case, investigators said she “had prior knowledge of the assaults occurring and allowed them to continue.”

The Hackensack Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit on Thursday, Nov. 6, regarding an alleged sexual assault of a juvenile that occurred in the past, Musella said.

Sandoval was arrested in Hackensack on Wednesday, Nov. 12. He was charged with second-degree sexual assault, second-degree attempted sexual assault, two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. He was taken to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court, officials said.