BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH –– A city man is facing criminal charges after allegedly breaking into two apartments and attempting to assault one of the victims with a fork, according to police.

On July 31 at approximately 4:30 a.m., Long Branch police responded to an apartment complex on Second Avenue after a caller reported that three male residents in the complex were restraining a man who had entered their apartments.

According to police, Erin Morales, 21, Broadway, had entered the apartment dwellings’ common hallway and went first to the upstairs apartment where he reportedly entered a bedroom that was shared by a 9-year-old girl and her parents, according to the report given by the three victims.

Allegedly, Morales woke the girl up and told her in Spanish to come with him, at which time the girl woke up her parents and Morales exited the apartment.

Morales then continued to the downstairs apartment and went into one bedroom where the occupants were sleeping and allegedly took a wallet that contained approximately $350 in cash. Morales then entered a second bedroom where the occupants also were sleeping and took another wallet with $200 cash in it, according to police reports.

The two male victims awoke and confronted Morales in the common hallway when a struggle broke out. As he tried to escape, the husband from the upstairs apartment reached the hallway and blocked Morales from fleeing, according to reports.

At that point, Morales took a fork from his pocket and attempted to stab the victim.

The three men contained Morales until police arrived on the scene and when police attempted to take over, Morales kicked one of the police officers.

Morales was physically restrained and handcuffed and is facing the following charges: two counts of burglary by entering a structure, robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, attempting to lure or entice a child, aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated assault with a weapon and criminal attempt kidnapping.

Morales was transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold and bail was set at $225,000 with no 10 percent option.