Police recently arrested a Dover New Jersey man who allegedly concealed his HIV status while sexually assaulting a teenage girl over a five-year period.
According to law enforcement, the suspect sexually assaulted the victim between March 2011 and January 2016. When the alleged sex crimes began, the victim was only 13 years of age
Authorities became aware of the allegations when the victim, who just turned 18, came forward and spoke with police. She reportedly talked to investigators and said that the suspect sexually assaulted her many times over a five-year period.
Detectives also interviewed the suspect, who allegedly confessed to engaging in sexual relations with the victim. Additionally, the suspect reportedly told police that he has AIDS and that he failed to tell the victim.
At the end of the investigation, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office detectives placed the suspect under arrest.
The 42-year-old suspect faces multiple criminal charges, including aggravated sexual assault on a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact, and having an HIV sexually transmitted disease while committing sexual penetration.
If the suspect is ultimately convicted on the aggravated sexual assault charges, he would be subject to significant penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a), aggravated sexual assault of an underage person is a first degree felony and could result in a sentence of 10-20 years in NJ State Prison.
After being arrested and processed, the suspect was transported to the Morris County Jail in Morristown, NJ. He was being held at the jail in lieu of $300,000 bail.
If the suspect manages to secure his release by posting bail, he will be prohibited from having any contact with the victim as a result of a restraining order issued by a Morris County Superior Court judge. Beyond that, the restraining order bars the suspect from contact with anyone under the age of 16 as long as the criminal charges are pending.
For more information about this case, see the NJ.com article, “Man with HIV Accused of Sexually Assaulting Teen Girl for 5 Years.”