Roselle Bus Aide Charged with Sexual Assault of Teenagers with Autism

ROSELLE/ELIZABETH, NJ — A man who worked as a school bus aide in Roselle is accused of sexually assaulting two children with autism who rode his bus.“The allegations in this case represent a profound betrayal of trust and a direct threat to the safety of our most vulnerable residents," Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel said in a news release Thursday.Federico Nicasio Genao, age 69, has been charged with two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by sexual contact and two counts of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact following a report made to the Roselle Police Department on April 7.Genao was arrested on April 10 at the Roselle Police Department and was taken to the Essex County Jail.Prosecutors and police say Genao “appeared to target teenage autistic victims who rode on his school bus, one of whom was non-verbal.”“This arrest is the result of dedicated, coordinated work by the Roselle Police Department Detective Bureau and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. We commend the detectives whose diligence and professionalism brought this case forward," Roselle Police Chief Helder Freire and Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw said. "Our different abilities community is at the heart of Roselle. We stand with them, we protect them, and we will continue to pursue justice with the care and commitment they deserve.”“While we have secured an arrest, our investigation remains very much active as we work to ensure that every individual impacted by these actions is heard and supported,” Daniel said.Police and prosecutors ask anyone who has information about Genao to contact Roselle Police Detective Aaron Silva at 908-380-9943.