NJ man — and his mother — charged in rape of teen he met online
MIDDLETOWN — A township man is accused of raping an Oklahoma girl, who police say he first met online through a video game more than two years ago and then brought her to live with him in New Jersey.
His mother also is facing charges of trying to cover up for her son.
Police arrested 25-year-old Frank Bisso on Jan. 24 on charges of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, hindering apprehension and conspiracy to hinder his apprehension.
Also arrested was his mother, 60-year-old Augustina Bisso. She was charged with hindering apprehension and conspiracy to commit hindering or apprehension.
According to township police, Frank Bisso was 23 when he first interacted online with the 13-year-old girl in August 2017.
The next month, Frank and Augustina Bisso both traveled to meet the teen at her home in Oklahoma, police said.
Between September and November 2017, Frank Bisso made two more trips to Oklahoma, bringing the girl, who had turned 14, back to his home in Middletown. Police said at that point, Bisso began having sex with the girl.
Police and child protective officials were first made aware of the case last March, when Augustina Bisso brought the teen from Oklahoma to the Middletown public school district office to register the girl for school.
Frank Bisso was charged and held in Monmouth County Jail, pending a first court appearance and possible detention hearing.
Augustina Bisso was charged and released.
Police used the opportunity of the Bisso case to repeat a message that parents and guardians need to be "mindful of" and monitor children’s online activity.
"Meeting anyone in person who you know only from online interactions poses a potential hazard and children are especially vulnerable in these situations," Middletown police said in a statement.
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