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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

UPDATED: Mays Landing Man Convicted of Child Abuse, Sexual Assault and Lewdness

MAYS LANDING – A Pennsylvania man was convicted Friday of the abuse of two child victims in 2010, including the sexual assault of a 17-year-old boy, and the performance of indecent and unlawful sexual acts in the presence of a 12-year-old boy, County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced today.
On Friday, July 25, 2014, Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Albert Garofolo found John S. Poston, 47, of the 2000 block of Slocum Road, Mountain Top, PA, guilty of six (6) criminal counts, including (3) crimes committed against the 17-year-old:

  1. Sexual Assault while having supervisory power over the victim—a crime of the 2nd degree, 
  2. Criminal Sexual Contact—a 4th degree crime, and
  3. Child Abuse—a 4th degree crime, 
  4. and (3) crimes committed against the 12-year-old:
  5. Endangering the Welfare of a Child—a 3rd degree crime,
  6. Lewdness—a 4th degree crime, and 
  7. Child Abuse 
  • The state alleged that in early September of 2010, Poston transported each victim on separate dates to his residence of the time on the 500 block of Sherwood Road, Mays Landing, provided alcohol to each child, and committed the crimes for which he was later charged.
    The Hamilton Township Police Department was alerted to the allegations in late September 2010. At the conclusion of a three-month investigation, a warrant for Poston’s arrest was issued on Jan. 24, 2011.
  • Poston was located and arrested in Pennsylvania on Jan. 31, 2011, returned in custody to New Jersey, and lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility in lieu of $225,000 full cash bail. Poston later posted bail and was released, pending court.
Poston was indicted by an Atlantic County Grand Jury on Feb. 14, 2012.
This past Friday—after a one-week trial that culminated in a guilty verdict—Judge Garofolo continued Poston’s release on bail pending sentencing, scheduled for Aug. 29th, and ordered the defendant’s completion of an evaluation required for sex offenders at the Avenel Adult Diagnostic & Treatment Center, to be completed prior to sentencing.
The 2nd degree sexual assault conviction carries a potential prison sentence of 5-10 years, and pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), Poston will have to serve 85% of that sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Conviction for a 3rd degree crime carries a potential sentence of imprisonment of 3-5 years; a 4th degree conviction carries a potential sentence of up to 18 months in prison.
Hamilton Township Police Detective Frank Schalek was lead investigator on the case. Assistant Prosecutor Marisa McGarvey represented the State in the matter.

Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652- 1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.

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