Burlington County Man Gets 12 Years for 2019 Sexual Assault

A Browns Mills man will be spending the next twelve years behind bars for sexually assaulting a woman in 2019.

In addition to the prison sentence, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina says 29-year-old John Lewis must register as a sex offender and will be under parole supervision for life.

Authorities say Lewis pleaded guilty to first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault back in February.

Coffina says the investigation began after Burlington City police officers were called to the first block of Union Street in the early morning hours of December 29, 2019, for the report of a woman who was screaming for help.

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According to a press release, "The victim told police that she was walking home from a friend’s house when she was approached by a stranger and sexually assaulted. She was punched and kicked in the face and head, causing facial fractures, tooth loss and a brain aneurism. She was taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden for treatment."

Police identified Lewis as the assailant through video surveillance from nearby businesses. Lewis, who threatened to kill the victim, according to Coffina, was arrested the next day. The victim’s credit card was said to have been found in his wallet when he was apprehended.

“There is no place in society for predators who wait in the shadows to attack their unsuspecting victims,” Coffina said in a statement. “This sentiment is reinforced by the tremendous cooperation that law enforcement received from the public while investigating this case.”