An area man who was convicted in 2022 of the repeated sexual assault of a juvenile has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Wednesday.

Julian B. Hart, 39, of Asbury Park, will be required to serve at least 85 percent of the 40-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole under the provisions of New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA). This is in accordance with the terms set during the sentencing hearing before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English on Friday June 30, 2023.

Hart was subject to sentencing under the Jessica Lunsford Act, which was enacted to protect victims under 13 from sexual offenders. Hart will be subject to the provisions of Megan’s Law and parole supervision for life upon release.

The charges stem from an investigation that was launched by the Asbury Park Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Bureau following a report made by the victim in the summer of 2021.

The investigation revealed that Hart repeatedly sexually abused the victim, who was under the age of 12, on multiple occasions from September 27, 2014 through December 16, 2015. Hart was arrested and charged in August of 2021. He was later indicted on Oct. 22, 2021.

The investigation also revealed that Hart was already on Megan’s Law and parole supervision for life when these acts occurred.

Hart was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 7, 2022 of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child for the possession of child sexual abuse materials.

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

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