Rockaway Township Police Officer Allegedly Sexually Assaulted Minors
A Morris County grand jury recently indicted a Rockaway Township police officer on sex offense charges for allegedly sexually assaulting two juvenile girls while he was on active duty. The suspect is Wilfredo Guzman, a 40-year-old man who resides in Rockaway Township and who served with the Rockaway Township Police Department. Guzman has been suspended without pay, pending the outcome of his criminal charges.
According to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Guzman engaged in acts involving sexual penetration with a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl in 2014 and 2015. Some of those acts reportedly occurred at a police station at the Rockaway Townsquare mall, at a motel in Rockaway Township, NJ, and in Guzman’s police patrol vehicle while he was on duty. Morris County prosecutors have also allegedly that Guzman provided the minors with alcohol and prescription drugs.
NJ Sexual Assault Charges & Penalties
Guzman has been charged with several criminal offenses, including sexual assault, child endangerment, official misconduct, and possession of child pornography. All of the criminal charges have been classified as felonies, meaning that they could result in severe penalties like prison time, fines, and Megan’s Law sex offender registration requirements. Beyond that, sexual assault has a presumption of incarceration: if convicted, Guzman would likely be unable to get a probationary sentence to stay out jail.
When Guzman was arrested in April, he agreed to wear an electronic monitoring device in order to get released from the Morris County Jail in Morristown. Additionally, Guzman was ordered to abide by the terms of a no-contact order barring him from contact with either of the two alleged victims. If Guzman violates the no-contact order, he could be charged with more crimes under N.J.S.A. 2C:29-9.
Guzman has now been indicted by a grand jury, which means that he could eventually stand trial on the sex crime charges in Morris County Superior Court. If Guzman does not reach a pre-trial plea agreement, his fate would probably be decided by a jury. In addition to facing legal consequences, Guzman could also permanently lose his job with the Rockaway Township Police Department if he is ultimately convicted in the case. (Guzman is currently suspended from his role with the police force.)
Experienced Morristown Criminal Defense Lawyer Defends Clients Against Sex Crime Charges in New Jersey
A conviction for a sex crime in New Jersey could destroy your life. Not only could you end up behind bars for a very long time, but you could also find your employment, your reputation, and your family life affected in a negative way. The best way to fight back against sex crime charges in NJ is to have a qualified criminal defense attorney on your side early in the process. Travis Tormey is an experienced criminal lawyer who is prepared to defend clients against sexual assault charges in Rockaway Township, Morristown, Parsippany, and everywhere else in Morris County, NJ.
Before he founded the Tormey Law Firm, Attorney Tormey worked with the sex crime unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Now Attorney Tormey and his skilled legal team fight on behalf of defendants in criminal cases. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.