NEWARK, NJ — Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II announced Dec. 16 that a 40-year-old Newark man, whose name is being kept confidential to protect the privacy of the victims, was convicted by an Essex County jury of 27 counts related to the sexual assaults of his three biological daughters.
All three victims testified against their father in the trial held before Superior Court Judge Carolyn E. Wright. According to the testimony, the abuse began for the oldest victim, now 18, when she was 7 and continued until she was 13. The second victim, now 17 years old, detailed the sexual assaults by her father when she was between 11 and 12. The jury also heard from the youngest victim, now 15, who testified that the defendant sexually assaulted her when she was 10 years old. The sexual assaults occurred in the family’s homes during those time frames, usually while the mother was at work. Upon learning of the abuse in August 2017, the victims’ mother immediately contacted police. The defendant was located and arrested in New York City in February 2018.
The jury’s guilty verdict included multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault for penetration of a child younger than 13. Those charges are subject to the Jessica Lunsford Act, which mandates a sentence of 25 years to life, with 25 years parole ineligibility. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 27.
Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Freier, who tried the case along with Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Nicholas, said, “We are thankful to the jury for their careful consideration in this case. This verdict is a testament to the strength and bravery of three young women who confronted their father — the man who should have protected them, not caused them immeasurable harm.”
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