Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 44-year-old JOSE E. POLANCO of Hackensack, NJ on charges of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Jeff Angermeyer, and the Hackensack Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Antista.

On Sunday, May 24, 2026, the Hackensack Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding the alleged sexual assault of a juvenile that occurred in Hackensack, NJ. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hackensack Police Department revealed that JOSE E. POLANCO sexually assaulted a juvenile on more than one occasion in the City of Hackensack.

As a result of the investigation, on Thursday, June 18, 2026, JOSE E. POLANCO was located and arrested in Hackensack, NJ. POLANCO was charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault, N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2C(4); and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(1). He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, made a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court, and released pending further court action.

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella would like to thank the Hackensack Police Department for its assistance in this investigation.