Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced that on September 21st, a Hudson County jury convicted 29-year-old Carlos E. Santos of second- degree Sexual Assault and third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The Special Victims Unit of the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor initially arrested and charged Santos on August 4, 2014.
According to testimony in court, on the night of June 14, 2014, Santos went to the Bayonne home of his son’s aunt. While at the home, Santos performed sex acts upon a 10-year-old girl.
The Honorable Mark J. Nelson, J.S.C. presided over the trial. Judge Nelson is scheduled to sentence Santos on December 8, 2017.
The defendant faces up to 10 years imprisonment on the sexual assault by contact charge and will have to serve 85% of any sentence imposed without the possibility of parole. The conviction will also subject the defendant to Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life.
The jury also found the defendant not guilty of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault.
The State was represented by Assistant Prosecutor Linda Claude-Oben.