NEW ROCHELLE, NY (February 24, 2025) — Authorities in New Rochelle have filed additional child sexual abuse charges against a man previously arrested in connection with the death of a 15-year-old boy, police announced Monday, expanding an already disturbing investigation.
Hugo Perez-Gabriel, 32, of New Rochelle, was arraigned Saturday before a Westchester County judge on a felony complaint including two counts each of Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance, Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors in the First Degree, and Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child. The charges stem from allegations that Perez-Gabriel used the messaging app WhatsApp in early February to solicit sexual material from an underage resident, identified as the same teen later found dead.
The new charges follow Perez-Gabriel’s initial arrest on Feb. 7, when he was accused of Concealment of a Human Corpse in the death of Jonson Temaj, 15, whose body was discovered on a New Rochelle sidewalk. A 16-year-old from New Rochelle, whose name was withheld due to his age, was also charged in the concealment case, along with Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree.
Police responded to reports of an unresponsive male at Washington Avenue and Charles Street on Feb. 6, finding Temaj without a shirt or shoes. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The investigation revealed that Perez-Gabriel and the 16-year-old had removed Temaj’s body from a nearby residence and abandoned it, according to authorities.
The cause of Temaj’s death remains under investigation, with toxicology results still pending. Detectives from the New Rochelle Police Department, alongside Westchester County District Attorney investigators, confirmed that the teen in the WhatsApp exchanges with Perez-Gabriel was Temaj.
“This case represents a heartbreaking loss for our community, and our detectives have been relentless in pursuing every lead to ensure justice is served,” New Rochelle Police Commissioner Robert Gazzola said in a statement.
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the department’s tip line at 914-632-2677 or the non-emergency line at 914-654-2300.
The investigation remains active as police work to uncover the full circumstances surrounding Temaj’s death.
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