A man from New Jersey has been taken into custody following allegations of attempting to lure a person he believed to be a minor, authorities announced on Friday.
Michael Marchionese, a 51-year-old resident of Pine Hill, reportedly engaged in conversations with an undercover officer who was impersonating a 14-year-old girl. The exchanges took place over several weeks starting in October 2025, as detailed by Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay and Pine Hill Police Chief Christopher Winters.
Initially, Marchionese reached out to the supposed young girl via social media. However, the dialogue soon shifted to text messaging, according to official reports.
Throughout these interactions, Marchionese allegedly requested nude photographs from the girl on multiple occasions. He eventually arranged a meeting at a Cherry Hill hotel with the intention of committing sexual assault, prosecutors revealed.
On November 21, authorities apprehended Marchionese at his residence in Pine Hill. He was subsequently detained at the Camden County Correctional Facility.
Investigators from the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force later discovered that the cellphone found at his home was used for communicating with the person he believed to be the underage victim.
Marchionese has been charged with four counts of attempted manufacturing of child sexual abuse material, attempting to lure a child, attempted sexual assault of a minor and attempted endangering the welfare of a child, officials said.
He’s expected back in court Jan. 14, according to online court records.
