Crime & Safety
Lyft Driver From Morris County Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Minor
Julio Mejia was an active member of the military at the time officials say he had sexual intercourse twice with a minor .
WHARTON, NJ — A ride-share driver from Morris County who was convicted of sexually assaulting a juvenile passenger has been sentenced to prison, officials said.
Last September, a Passaic County jury found 43-year-old Julio Mejia of Wharton guilty of second-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and second-degree luring or enticing a child.
According to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, Mejia picked up the victim while working as a Lyft driver on Aug. 30, 2019, in Prospect Park, and sexually assaulted her.
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Prospect Park police received a report of the sexual assault on Nov. 19 and investigators collected evidence and interviewed multiple witnesses. The minor victim told police that Mejia had continued to interact with her via text messaging for several weeks before having sexual intercourse with her for the second time, officials said.
Last week, Judge Joseph A. Portelli sentenced Mejia to seven years in New Jersey State Prison, with the sentences for the sexual assault charge and the luring or enticing a child charge to run concurrently.
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Mejia will also be under parole supervision for life, and have to register as a sexual offender under Megan's Law, said authorities.
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