Acting Morris County NJ Prosecutor Announces Sexual Assault Charges
Prosecutors say that a Dover NJ man has admitted to committing several acts of sexual assault against a young girl.
According to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, 23-year-old Erick Celis confessed to committing numerous sexual assaults against a girl under the age of 16.
The investigation began when the victim told prosecutors that Celis had been sexually assaulting her for a period of two years.
When Celis was initially interviewed by investigators from the Sex Crimes / Child Endangerment Unit, he denied having had any contact with the victim. However, authorities say that Celis eventually changed his story and confessed.
Celis is facing several charges, including first degree aggravated sexual assault, second degree sexual assault, and third degree endangering the welfare of a child.
In New Jersey, the penalties for aggravated sexual assault are set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a. According to the statute, first degree aggravated sexual assault is punishable by a term of incarceration of between 10 and 20 years in NJ State Prison. Additionally, the No Early Release Act (NERA) requires a person convicted of aggravated sexual assault to serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Beyond that, Celis faces potential deportation because he is a Mexican citizen who is allegedly in the country illegally.
After being arrested and charged, Celis was taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of $500,000 bail.
For more information, see the NJ.com article entitled “Dover Man Admits ‘Numerous Acts’ of Sexual Assault Against Girl, Prosecutor Says.“
