SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED RAPE, MISCONDUCT AFTER UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jared Jeridore was charged today with attempted use of a child in a sexual performance, attempted rape and other crimes following an undercover investigation during which the defendant, who was working as a school crossing guard in Jamaica, allegedly tried to lure an NYPD officer he believed to be 14 years old to participate in a sexual act.

District Attorney Katz said: "Young people need to be able to trust the adults who are charged with keeping them safe. This defendant is accused of violating that trust with someone he thought was a teenager. His arrest should serve as a warning to any sexual predator who thinks they will not be caught and held responsible. Thank you to our partners at the NYPD for their work on this."
Jeridore, 24, of Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, was arraigned today on a seven-count criminal complaint charging him with attempted use of a child in a sexual performance, three counts of attempted dissemination of indecent material to minors in the first degree, attempted rape in the third degree, official misconduct and
attempted endangering the welfare of a child.

Judge Julieta Lozano ordered Jeridore to return to court June 7. If convicted, Jeridore faces up to seven years in prison.

According to the charges:
• An undercover operation was started based on complaints about Jeridore - a crossing guard near a Jamaica school - from underage individuals to the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau.
• On March 28, 2024, at approximately 7:36 a.m., an undercover posing as a 14-year-old girl met Jeridore at the intersection of 108th Avenue and 167th Street near the school.
• On April 18, the undercover and Jeridore exchanged their Instagram screen names. At about 2:10 p.m. they walked together from the intersection of 108th Avenue and 167th Street to a nearby bus stop and he interlocked his arm with hers.
• At 11:22 p.m. on April 18, Jeridore had a video call with the undercover, whom he believed to be 14 with a birthday on April 20, and asked her to join him in a sexual act.
• From April 18 to April 21, Jeridore sent text messages through Instagram to another undercover officer, posing as the first one, describing sexual interactions he wanted to have with her. He also sent the officer nude photos and a sexually explicit video.
• On April 23, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the first undercover received multiple phone calls from Jeridore asking her to meet him at a hotel at 87-07 Van Wyck Expressing in order to have sex.
• Police were at the hotel, waiting for Jeridore. Jeridore arrived at the hotel room and was arrested on scene. Police recovered three condoms from him.

The investigation was conducted in conjunction with the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau. Assistant District Attorney Vinnette K. Campbell of the District Attorney's Public Corruption Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Khadijah Muhammad-Starling, Bureau Chief, and Christine Oliveri, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard Brave.