West Milford councilman charged with criminal sexual contact

A West Milford councilman has been charged with criminal sexual contact after allegedly touching someone's genitals during a party earlier this month, law enforcement officials said late Thursday afternoon.

Matthew Conlon, a municipal councilman, Board of Education member and Young Republican Federation of New Jersey chairman, was charged via summons after West Milford Police officials received a Feb. 4 report that he "touched the intimate part of an adult victim in an unwelcome and inappropriate manner within a residence in the township, " according to a Feb. 15 statement from Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and West Milford Township Police Chief Shannon Sommerville.

Officials said Conlon has been charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and harassment, following an investigation conducted by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the West Milford Police Department.

Conlon faces up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison for the sexual contact offense if found guilty, officials said. The harassment charge could bring 30 days in county jail if found guilty.

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First elected to the West Milford town council in 2022, Conlon was once the youngest school board member in township history. Also a county representative on the Republican State Committee, Conlon is serving a three-year term that ends in December 2025.

Matthew Priore, the attorney representing Conlon, could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: West Milford NJ councilman charged with criminal sexual contact