North Plainfield Police Department

Press Release

Chief William Parenti

March 9, 2009

North Plainfield Police Chief William Parenti announced the arrest of a man after he removed his mutual child from the mother’s custody late Sunday night.  North Plainfield Police were called by the mother of the two year old boy, and alerted that the father had taken the child with no notice from a borough residence they were both visiting. The mother had had physical custody and there were no court orders in effect.  Melvin Sharp was charged with third degree interference with the custody of a child, through the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, and lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending the setting of bail. 

Police immediately broadcast the suspect’s vehicle description to surrounding communities and established contact with Sharp via cell phone.  As a result he turned himself into the Highland Park Police.  The child was recovered unharmed at the home of a friend of the father in Highland Park, and was reunited with his mother.  She subsequently sought the protection of a temporary restraining order under the domestic violence act. Chief Parenti emphasized that most importantly, the matter was resolved quickly and with no harm to the child, as a result of the assist of the Highland Park Police Department.        

Note:  We are required by the Rules of Court to include herein a statement explaining that the charges are merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.