A Monmouth County man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted for sexually assaulting a woman who lay physically helpless and unconscious, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said on Tuesday.

Isrrael Cordero, 47, of Long Branch, was sentenced on Thursday for the March 2017 attack of an unconscious and physically helpless woman.

The sentence is subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring Cordero to serve a minimum of 85 percent of the sentence imposed, or 12 years and 9 months, before being eligible for parole. 

Upon his release from state prison, Cordero will be required to register under Megan’s Law and will also be subject to parole supervision for life.  

The case background …

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Long Branch Police Department was initiated when the defendant reported that he was assaulted by the victim after engaging in consensual sex. 

The investigation determined Cordero was the aggressor and included a surveillance video depicting the entire sexual assault which demonstrated the victim was physically helpless and unconscious while defendant committed various acts of sexual penetration and sexual contact upon her. 

The adult female victim was known to Cordero. The sexual assault occurred on the morning of March 3, 2017 at a bar/restaurant within the city. At the time of the assault, the establishment was closed to the public and the business is no longer in operation.  

Cordero was found guilty following a jury trial in September 2018 of: two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. 

During sentencing, Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Torregrossa-O’Connor focused on Cordero’s lack of remorse or insight into the crimes he committed, which the Judge found violated “the basic right to privacy and dignity.”

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