A Dover NJ man was sentenced to 17 years in New Jersey State Prison for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl and sharing sexually explicit images of the criminal act online.
The 48-year old defendant, who previously lived in Newton NJ, was arrested in 2011 after police searched a motel room that he had rented in Andover, New Jersey. Officers had been called to the scene after receiving a report of a bomb threat at the motel.
According to prosecutors, police who searched the room found 123 DVDs and CDs containing thousands of images of child pornography. Police also reportedly found nearly 100 rounds of ammunition on a dresser in the room.
The suspect was placed under arrest by officers and taken to the Sussex County Correctional Facility.
While the suspect was being held in jail, police conducted a forensic investigation of the DVDs and CDs and determined that they contained pornographic images. The DVDs allegedly contained photographic evidence of the suspect sexually penetrating a 10-year-old girl. As a result, the suspect was charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
The sexual assault is believed to have occurred in 2005. The defendant eventually accepted a plea agreement offered by the prosecutor’s office and pleaded guilty to first degree aggravated sexual assault and first degree endangering the welfare of a child.
The terms of the plea agreement actually called for the defendant to serve 20 years in state prison; however, since he has already been in jail for 3 years, the remaining sentence will be 17 years. Additionally, the plea deal requires him to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, which means that he won’t become eligible for parole until 2029.
For more information about this case, read the NJ.com article entitled “Dover Man Who Sexually Assault 10-Year-Old Girl Sentenced to 17 Years.”