Bogota Child Sex-Assault Case: Hackensack 18-Year-Old Faces Counts Under Two Age Brackets, Released Pending Court

BOGOTA, N.J. — An 18-year-old Hackensack man charged with sexually assaulting a girl under 15 in Bogota faces counts under two different sections of New Jersey’s sexual assault law, one written for victims younger than 13 and one for victims ages 13 to 15, according to a Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office release and the text of the statute. He was released pending further court action after a first appearance, the release says.

Jefferson M. Lucero Tapia, 18, of Hackensack, was arrested in Hackensack on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced in a release dated Wednesday, Oct. 14. Prosecutors allege he sexually assaulted a female victim under the age of 15 in Bogota on three occasions.

Charges are accusations. Lucero Tapia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The charges, and what the law behind them covers

According to the prosecutor’s release, Lucero Tapia is charged with seven counts:

• Three counts of second-degree sexual assault under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2c(4). That section covers an act of sexual penetration when the victim is at least 13 but less than 16 years old and the accused is at least four years older than the victim.
• Two counts of second-degree sexual assault under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2b. That section covers an act of sexual contact with a victim who is less than 13 years old when the accused is at least four years older.
• Two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child under N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(1).

The release says only that the victim was “under the age of fifteen.” It does not give her age, does not say when the three alleged incidents happened, and does not explain why counts were filed under both the under-13 and the 13-to-15 sections of the law. Bergen TV is not publishing any detail that could identify the victim.

How the case moved, per the release

1. Friday, Oct. 2, 2026: The Bogota Police Department contacted the prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit about an alleged sexual assault.
2. The prosecutor’s office, under the direction of Chief Jeff Angermeyer, and the Bogota Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel Maye, investigated together.
3. Tuesday, Oct. 6: Lucero Tapia was arrested in Hackensack and charged.
4. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, made a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court, and was released pending further court action. The release does not give the date of that appearance or any conditions of release.
5. Wednesday, Oct. 14: The prosecutor’s office announced the arrest, eight days after it happened.

What fits — and what still doesn’t

What fits: The release describes a quick turnaround, four days from the Bogota police referral to an arrest, and lists specific statute sections for every count.

What the public record does not yet show:

• Why he was released. The release says Lucero Tapia was released pending further court action after his first appearance. It does not say whether prosecutors asked for pretrial detention or what conditions, such as no-contact orders, a judge set.
• Why the announcement waited. The arrest was Oct. 6 and the announcement came Oct. 14. The release gives no reason for the gap.
• The two age brackets. The release does not say whether the under-13 counts and the 13-to-15 counts refer to different time periods or are charged as alternatives.
• Next court date. Bergen TV checked the prosecutor’s press-release page on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, and found no update on this case.

Open questions

• Did prosecutors seek detention, and what conditions did the court impose on his release?
• When is Lucero Tapia due back in Bergen County Superior Court?
• Does he have an attorney who will comment?

The arrest was reported earlier by Daily Voice and Patch on Oct. 14.

Anyone with information can reach the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office crime tips line at (201) 226-5532, the number listed on the prosecutor’s website.

Sources: Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, “Hackensack, NJ Man Charged With Sexual Assault Offenses,” Oct. 14, 2026; N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2 (Sexual assault), statute text via Justia.