A 50-year-old Warren Township man accused in a child sexual-assault case has become Somerset County's fugitive of the month for November after he allegedly failed to show up for a scheduled court appearance. Benjamin F. Monterroso-Morales is wanted on a warrant tied to allegations of sexual contact with a victim younger than 13, and investigators say they do not know where he is now.
Fugitive of the Month Designation
The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office named Monterroso-Morales its fugitive of the month for November 2026, according to Shore News Network. The designation followed his alleged failure to appear in Somerset County court on charges connected to a child sexual-assault investigation. Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald and Chief of Detectives Meredith McKay released the wanted notice along with a photograph and identifying information as part of the office's monthly fugitive alert, the outlet reports.
Per the wanted notice cited in that report, Monterroso-Morales faces a second-degree sexual-assault charge involving sexual contact with a victim who was younger than 13 at the time. He also faces a second-degree charge of endangering the welfare of a child by a caretaker involving sexual conduct, the notice states. The alleged offenses are said to have occurred in April 2023 in Warren Township, and the wanted notice indicates the alleged defendant was at least four years older than the victim.
Physical Description and Open Questions
Monterroso-Morales is described in the notice as approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is listed as November 30, 1975, and his last known address is in Warren Township. The wanted notice does not specify when the arrest warrant was issued, nor does it say whether authorities believe he remains in New Jersey, the report notes.
Investigators have not publicly disclosed where Monterroso-Morales may currently be staying, and prosecutors have not announced an arrest in the case. Under New Jersey law, sexual assault is classified as a crime of the second degree, according to the New Jersey Legislature's statute, though the available text does not establish which specific subsection applies to the allegations against him.
How to Submit a Tip
The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Fugitive Unit is asking anyone with information about Monterroso-Morales's whereabouts to come forward, and the office's contact line is 908-231-7100. Authorities have warned the public not to take any police action themselves beyond contacting the fugitive unit, and they urged residents to reach out to investigators rather than attempt to locate or detain him.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Somerset County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or through scpo.tips, which allows submission of anonymous information including photographs and videos. Officials said all tips will remain confidential, and they have asked that information not be posted on the prosecutor's office social media pages.
