Powerball winner charged with sexual assault of a minor

PATERSON — A Wayne man who boasted of paying his neighbors' rent after he won a $338 million Powerball jackpot was arrested on charges that he allegedly sexually assaulted a young girl, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday. 

Pedro Quezada, 49, won the Powerball lottery in 2013. He faces two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said. He is accused of sexually assaulting the girl for three years, beginning when she was 11 years old and lasting until she was 14.

The alleged assaults occurred in Passaic, where Quezada lived at the time. 

Appearing Wednesday afternoon in Superior Court in Paterson before Judge John F. Meola, Quezada, via video conference, wore a green shirt and spoke through an interpreter. He was held without bail.

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Quezada's lawyer, Steven Wukovits, speaking outside the courtroom, told The Record his client was being targeted.

"He has money," Wukovits said. "That's why he's being targeted in this case."

Wuhovits also said Quezada had been targeted before, recalling his client's former girlfriend, Inez Sanchez, who sued Quezada in late 2013 for a portion of his winnings. Sanchez and Quezada lived together for 10 years, and shared ownership of a grocery store in Passaic. 

Sanchez dropped her suit after Quezada agreed to pay all her legal fees generated by the lawsuit. 

It's not known in what year the alleged incidents occurred. 

When Quezada claimed the prize in 2013, he chose a lump sum of $211 million, state lottery officials said. After taxes, he took home a check worth $152 million.

Since hitting the Powerball, Quezada has been "targeted" Wukovits said.

By November 2013, Quezada had spent large portions of his winnings, Michael De Marco of North Haledon said at the time. He sent $57 million to his native country of the Dominican Republic, while $5 million was given away and $300,000 was spent when he purchased a home in Clifton.

When he moved, his old neighbors on School Street accused him of reneging on a promise to help them by paying their rent and he was sued by a contractor who said Quezada did not pay for renovations to the home he purchased in Clifton.

"This is where his children live and work, why not return to New Jersey," Wukovits said. "He can live anywhere he wants, but yet he lives in New Jersey. It’s not like he’s running from his charges either." 

Whether Quezada is still in possession of any of his winnings is unknown. 

Quezada, who lives in Wayne, could spend up to 20 years in prison for first degree sexual assault and 10 years for endangering the welfare of a child. His detention hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25.