Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that the Honorable Verna G. Leath sentenced Rene Delgado, 33, of Jamaica Queens, New York, to 15 years in New Jersey State Prison for violently sexually assaulting a three-year-old boy left in his care.
Delgado, who goes by the nickname Taz, must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
On July 18, Delgado, who was already a registered sex offender in New York, pled guilty to first degree aggravated sexual assault and second degree endangering the welfare of a child. Delgado admitted forcibly raping a three-year-old boy he was babysitting, according to Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Lyons-Boswick, who handled the plea and sentencing.
The abuse came to light on Aug. 30, 2013 when the mother was attending a routine Division of Youth and Family Services appointment and workers noticed the child had bruises on his face. The child was taken to Beth Israel Hospital where evidence of the rape was confirmed. Delgado was arrested on Sept. 4, 2013 in New York.
Delgado is expected to serve his sentence at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Avenel, a facility for persistent sex offenders.
“This is an extremely tragic case of a man with a history of sexually abusing others repeating that behavior. By his own admission today, he needs to be incarcerated,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Lyons-Boswick.“Hopefully this sentence will deter him and others from preying on another nnocent child.’’
Prosecutor Murray commended Detective Diane Sequeira of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Lieutenant Aurelio Silva and Detective Robin Robinson in the Newark Police Department’s Special Victims Unit and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force for their outstanding work on this case.