Ridgewood cop 28-year-old Peter Tuchol, Jr. was arrested and charged with luring, attempted sexual assault, attempted endangering the welfare of a child as well as possession of controlled substances, and other charges.
According to authorities, officer Tuchol participated in online conversations with undercover investigators who were posting as a 15-year-old girl.
Tuchol later arranged a meeting with the underage teenager to engage in sex, authorities said.
That’s when police obtained a search warrant for Tuchol’s home and allegedly seized controlled substances, specifically anabolic steroids.
On April 11, a Cyber Crimes Unit began speaking with Tuchol via the dating app Tinder, leading him on to believe he was speaking with an underage, teenage girl, according to an arrest affidavit.
Officer Tuchol persisted to communicate with the undercover detective via Tinder before moving to text messages and phone conversations.
Tuchol’s Tinder profile showed him in a police uniform taken in front of a bathroom mirror, which helped to identify him.
Officer Tuchol was then arrested in Bergen County.
Officials said Tuchol works for the Ridgewood Police Department as a patrol officer, and that he is currently suspended.
“We are working closely with the Bergen County Prosecutors Office in this matter and they are the lead agency in the investigation.” a spokesman from the department said, according to ABC7.
According to Tuchol’s arrest affidavit, Tuchol to the undercover investigator, who was posing as an underage girl, “I know ur young. But can you be an adult please” after she didn’t answer a phone call.
The undercover detective requested Tuchol stop texting her several times, but he persisted, saying they both wanted to have sex.
