A man who won one of New Jersey’s largest Powerball jackpots allegedly sexually assaulted a young girl for at least three years.
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes accused Pedro Quezada, 49, of sexually assaulting a girl between the ages of 11 and 13 when he lived in Passaic. NJ.com reports that Quezada is charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, and one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
The New Jersey man hit the $338 million jackpot in 2013. Lottery officials said he accepted a $211 million lump-sum payout and walked away with $152 million after taxes.
“My life will change because of it – so much money but it will not change my heart,” the multimillionaire told Fox News in March 2014.
Eight months after his win, the former bodega owner’s was sued by his ex-girlfriend for not sharing his winnings. The pair ultimately settled outside of court, according to NJ.com.
The New York Post reports that $30,000 of the jackpot went to child support payments that he’s owed since 2009.
At one point, lottery winner’s neighbors claimed he broke a promise to pay the rent of all the neighbors on his block. His landlord also accused him of leaving town and failing to pay $725 in back rent.
“It doesn’t get any lower than that,” landlord Kujtim Sulejmani told the Mail. “He won the lotto and then moved out. He didn’t even pay his own. Forget the rest of them.”
WABC reports that investigators don’t believe there are other victims. If convicted, Quezada faces 40 years in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
[Featured Image: Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office]