NJ caregiver accused of filming months-long sexual abuse in hotel rooms

🚨 A caregiver is accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a disabled woman

🚨 The assaults happened in a hotel room and were recorded on video

🚨 Explicit videos were later sent to the victim online

ROCHELLE PARK — A man responsible for taking care of a wheelchair user was charged with sexually assaulting her multiple times in a hotel room and recording their encounters.

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said the adult victim suffered an accident and was unable to take care of herself. She was in the care of Michael W. Smith, 41, of Westfield, who brought her to the Ramada Inn hotel in Rochelle on several occasions between December 2023 and June 2024, according to police.

While at the hotel, he performed several sex acts on her, including sodomizing her with a vaping device, police said.

ALSO READ: Keansburg fishing pier collapses after ice batters Raritan Bay

Westfield man charged with aggravated sexual assault

The victim went to the Prosecutor's Office in January after she was sent several sexually explicit videos via the social media platform TeleGuard. The identity of the sender was not disclosed by the police.

Smith was charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact. Smith is being held at the Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing since his arrest on Jan. 29.

Musella did not disclose Smith's employer.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom