A man from Mays Landing has been sentenced to 25 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a juvenile over the course of a number of years.

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39-year-old Christian R. Navarette had pleaded guilty in December to charges of aggravated sexual assault of a minor, sexual assault of a minor, and endangering the welfare of a child by filming her in a prohibited sexual act.

According to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office,

  • Navarette admitted that on or between the dates of July 18, 2017, and December 15, 2019, in his home in Hamilton Township, he committed numerous acts of sexual penetration on the victim.
  • He further admitted that he filmed the victim while engaged in those acts and he stored the videos on his personal cell phone.

On December 19th, 2019, detectives were notified as there was a report to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency regarding a sexual assault against a juvenile.

Once an interview of the victim was conducted and pursuant to an ongoing investigation, the High Technology Crimes Investigation Unit of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office was able to obtain and forensically analyze [the] defendant’s cell phone and observed that Navarrete had over 80 videos where he filmed the victim engaged in sexual actions with him.

"Extremely brave"

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Erika Halayko represented the State in this case. She commented that the victim was extremely brave in coming forward.

"Risk of reoffending"

In the courtroom, Judge Bernard DeLury pointed out that the 25-year sentence was warranted because Navarette posed a risk of reoffending and there was a need to deter him because his criminal actions took place over the course of a long period of time.

According to a report, the defendant’s sexual behavior, "was compulsively and repetitively performed." As such, Navarette will serve his sentence at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center and he will receive sexual offender treatment there.

In addition to the prison term, of which he must serve at least 85 percent (about 21 years), he will be subject to Megan’s Law, under parole supervision for life, and he is to have no contact with the victim.

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