Ocean City Cop Accused Of Assaulting Child For Years

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Court records released on Friday allege an Ocean City police sergeant sexually assaulted a minor beginning when she was 15 and continue to harm the victim for five years.

Sgt. Tyrone Rolls, 50, of Marmora, turned himself in to the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday. The affidavit of probable cause was released to Patch on Friday by the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, providing more details on the case.

Rolls has been charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, official misconduct and aggravated assault of a domestic violence victim.

Rolls has been placed on administrative leave from the police department, according to public information officer Doug Bergen.

The assaults allegedly began in 2016 before the start of the victim’s sophomore year at Ocean City High School, according to the affidavit of probable cause. The victim is now 20 years old.

The complaint alleged that the assaults occurred at Rolls’ home and in his patrol vehicle while he was both on- and off-duty, and that Rolls hit the victim with an open hand and knocked her to the ground during a fight the two reportedly had at the beginning of the year.

According to the complaint, she reported staying down on the ground for fear he would hit her again. Rolls allegedly said to her, “Now you know what it is like to be hit."

The victim said she had suffered concussions in the past and believed their reported fight caused another one, the complaint alleges.

After Rolls appeared Wednesday before a municipal judge, he was released with level 3 monitoring, consisting of weekly check-ins that alternate between phone and in-person.

Rolls has been employed by the Ocean City Police Department since 1996.

He has served as a youth mentor and youth sports coach, according to the Press of Atlantic City. State pension records show he earns a salary of $129,364.

His next appearance will be June 17 before Superior Court Judge J. Christopher Gibson.

The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation is ongoing.

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