Prosecutor: Area Man Found Guilty of 2023 Attempted Sexual Assault, Robbery of Teen

An area man has been convicted at trial of the 2023 attempted sexual assault and robbery of a teen, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Thursday.

Following a two-week trial before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon, J.S.C., Anthony Burke, 48, of Freehold Borough, was found guilty of: first-degree attempted aggravated sexual assault, first-degree armed robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon stemming from the 2023 Manalapan incident.

Due to the fact that Burke was found by the jury to be a repeat violent offender, based on prior violent convictions, he faces a mandatory term of 20 years to life in a New Jersey state prison when he is sentenced on Monday, May 18, 2026.

The case background …

On Aug. 14, 2023, at 9:48 p.m., Manalapan police responded to Thompson Grove Park on a report of an armed robbery. An investigation revealed that the perpetrator forced his way into a 19-year-old victim’s car, robbing and attempting to sexually assault her at gunpoint.

After her phone, keys, and cash were taken from her, the victim managed to free herself and flee to a nearby residence for help.

An investigation involving witness statements, a composite sketch of the perpetrator, law enforcement surveillance, cellular telephone analysis, digital forensic analysis, and vehicle location analysis ultimately identified Burke as the assailant.

The investigation was led by the Manalapan Township Police Department, along with members of the MCPO’s Major Crimes, Special Victims and High Tech Bureaus, with investigative collaboration from the Freehold Township Police Department, the Freehold Borough Police Department, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Jersey State Police Forensic Imaging Unit.

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