A New York woman has been charged with witness tampering after she allegedly tried to coerce a sexual assault victim to change her statement in a Fairview NJ rape case.

According to law enforcement, the suspect contacted an individual who alleged that she was raped by someone else.

The defendant in the Fairview sex crime case was accused of raping the victim in Bergen County, New Jersey. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office filed the very serious criminal charges against the alleged rapist in large part because of a statement by the victim.

While investigators gathered evidence in advance of an indictment, the New York woman allegedly approached the sexual assault victim and pressured her to recant her allegations against the defendant in the rape case.

The suspect, a 32-year-old Bronx NY woman, was arrested and charged with witness tampering because of her alleged actions. The New Jersey criminal justice system places a high priority on witnesses being able to speak honestly and without fear of retribution, so interference with or obstruction of a witness in a criminal case is a very serious offense. If the woman accused of committing witness tampering is eventually convicted, she could be subject to stiff penalties that include prison time.

After being arrested and charged, the suspect was taken to the Bergen County Correctional Facility in Hackensack, New Jersey. She was being held at the correctional facility on a $5,000 bail amount.

For additional information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Woman Accused of Coercing Sex-Crime Victim to Recant, Cops Say.”