A Monmouth County grand jury has returned a five-count indictment against a Somerset County man accused of taking lewd photographs of a juvenile female at a Red Bank car dealership in 2021, in a manner commonly described as “upskirting,” Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced on June 8.
David M. Chapinski, 41, of Franklin Township, is charged with first degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse materials, second degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse materials, third degree invasion of privacy and two counts of third degree endangering the welfare of a child, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
The incident in question took place shortly after 1 p.m. May 2, 2021 at the Auto Exotica car dealership on Newman Springs Road, Red Bank, according to an investigation by members of the Red Bank Police Department, assisted by members of the prosecutor’s office.
According to the press release, the investigation determined that while at the dealership, a man later identified as Chapinski allegedly snuck up to a teenage girl wearing a dress, who was on site looking at vehicles with her parents and two siblings, placed his cell phone flat in the palm of his hand and surreptitiously placed it between the girl’s legs from behind in order to record photographs.
Chapinski was arrested without incident and criminally charged in August 2021.
If convicted of the first degree crime he is charged with, Chapinski would face up
to 20 years in state prison, with the possibility of up to 10 years for a conviction on the
second degree charge, according to the press release.
Linskey said authorities are concerned there may be more victims. She asked anyone who may have been victimized in this way to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Sgt. Shawn Murphy at 800-533-7443 or Red Bank Police Department Detective Sean Hauschildt at 732-530-2700.
The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County will present The Golden Medinah: The 19th and 20th Century Monmouth County, New Jersey, Eastern European Jewry Immigration presented by Jessica Solomon on July 6 at 7 p.m. This is an in-person and Zoom program with free admission.
For more information or to make a reservation, call 732-252-6990 or visit http://www.jhmomc.org
According to a press release, the largest wave of immigration to America was that of Eastern European Jews, who were escaping political, economic and religious strife they faced in the 19th and 20th centuries.
This presentation tells the story of their journey to America and accomplishments made by the immigrants and families who settled in Monmouth County, and more.
Solomon is the executive director at the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Township. The museum is handicapped accessible and assistive listening accessible. A mask and a COVID vaccination are required.
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is encouraging residents and business owners to go to www.badbug.nj.gov to find information that can assist them in learning how to fight the spotted lanternfly. The webpage includes a timeline for the stages of growth for the insect as well as treatment options.
The spotted lanternfly is currently in the nymph stage, where it is tiny and black with white dots, but will soon advance to its next stage and become red with white dots. The bug reaches full maturity in mid to late August, when it begins laying egg masses that will hatch next spring. The NJDA continues to ask residents to stomp on or destroy the spotted lanternfly whenever possible, according to a press release.
Along with the treatment options listed at www.badbug.nj.gov, residents can also use businesses that are licensed pesticide applicators to provide treatments to kill the spotted lanternfly. However, if residents do choose an over-the-counter treatment option, they should carefully follow directions on the product when applying it, according to the press release.
While the spotted lanternfly does not harm humans or animals, it can feed on about 70 different types of vegetation or trees. The pest’s preferred host is the Tree of Heaven, an invasive plant that has been in the United States for decades.
The department is also asking people to check their vehicles before leaving an area to make sure the pest is not coming along for the ride, according to the press release.
