By: Yuritza Arroyo
Morris County authorities announced that a jury has found Amit Bhatt, 43, formerly of Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, guilty on all charges related to an aggravated sexual assault that occurred on October 28, 2017, in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township.
According to officials, the jury returned a guilty verdict on January 27, following a three-day trial.
Officials say the defendant was found guilty of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, second-degree Sexual Assault, and third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
A sentencing date has been scheduled for March 17.
According to authorities, the defendant will remain in custody until that time and was detained on Bergen County charges involving the possession of child sexual abuse material yesterday.
Authorities say at sentencing, Aggravated Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault convictions are subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA).
As required by the Jessica Lunsford Act, the defendant must receive a sentence between 25 years and life imprisonment, of which he must serve 25 years or more before becoming eligible for parole on the Aggravated Sexual Assault charge.
The charges arose from an incident that occurred on October 28, 2017, in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, where the defendant performed sex acts on and touched the inner thigh of an eight-year-old child.
Members of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes & Child Endangerment Unit investigated the incident after being notified of the victim’s disclosure by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office on January 11.