Crime

Prosecutor: Area Man Convicted of Sexual Assault of Teen Siblings

A 35-year-old area man has been convicted of the sexual assault of two juvenile siblings on multiple occasions over the course of several years, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Monday.

Following a weeklong trial before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley, Walter Orlando Perez-Ramos, of Asbury Park, was convicted on Friday of: two counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and a single count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

“This family repeatedly welcomed the defendant into their home as a trusted friend, and he repaid that trust with betrayal — by robbing the two victims of what should have been a normal, happy, fruitful adolescence,” Acting Prosecutor Santiago said. “They can never get those years back, but thanks to this verdict, we can at least ensure that justice is served and their healing process can begin.”  

The case background …

On Monday, May 3, 2021, Asbury Park police first received information regarding the abuse of the two victims, then ages 16 and 17.

An investigation by members of the MCPO Special Victims Bureau and the Asbury Park Police Department determined that the abuse had involved dozens of incidents taking place on various dates from May 2015 through May 2020, each involving inappropriate touching.

Perez-Ramos was arrested later in May 2021 and remained in custody at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) until the trial, at which both victims testified. MCPO Special Victims Bureau Director and Assistant Prosecutor Danielle Zanzuccki handled the prosecution, while Perez-Ramos was represented by George J. Mardinly, Esq.

Sentencing has been scheduled for Friday, March 31, 2023, at which time Perez-Ramos will face a term of up to 21 years and six months in state prison, along with registration as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office