Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a former state assistant family services worker was sentenced to prison today for using his position to pressure two women he was responsible for supervising in court-ordered child visits into having sexual relations with him.
Officials say Lamont King, 42, of Trenton, was sentenced to three years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Thomas M. Brown in Mercer County. King pleaded guilty on July 30, 2018 to a second-degree charge of conspiracy to commit a pattern of official misconduct. He is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.
Deputy Attorneys General Valerie Butler and Brian Uzdavinis prosecuted King with former DAG Kathryn Faris, and DAsG Butler and Uzdavinis handled the sentencing. The indictment stems from an investigation by the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption Bureau South Unit and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
According to authorities, King formerly was an assistant family services worker in the Department of Children and Families, Division of Child Protection and Permanency. In that position, he had various duties, including the transportation of clients, both adults and children, to and from court-scheduled visits, and supervision of such visits. His responsibilities included writing reports and making recommendations to the department and court.
The investigation revealed that King used his position to pressure two DCPP clients to have sexual relations on multiple occasions in 2015 and 2016. He was suspended without pay after the conduct was uncovered, and subsequently terminated by the department. The Department of Children and Families provided assistance and cooperated fully throughout the investigation.
“The manner in which King pressured his victims into sexual relations by exploiting his authority and playing on their fears regarding their children was corrupt and deplorable,” said Attorney General Grewal. “This prison sentence reflects our resolve to investigate and aggressively prosecute this type of abuse of authority.”
“King’s predatory conduct against two vulnerable victims made this a particularly offensive case of official misconduct,” said Director Thomas Eicher of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. “We will continue to work closely with the New Jersey State Police and our other law enforcement partners to ensure that public officials and employees are held accountable if they engage in corrupt behavior.”
“King abused his position as a public employee by preying on victims, using his authority to coerce them into sexual acts while they were vulnerable,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police. “This prison sentence is a result of the hard work by the State Police Official Corruption Bureau and our partners and sends a clear message that we will not tolerate individuals that act unethically in positions of public trust.”
The Code of Ethics of the Department of Children and Families, to which all employees must adhere, prohibits department employees from establishing any improper relationship with a person who is being supervised or served as a client of the department.
Attorney General Grewal and Director Eicher noted that the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability a toll-free Tipline 1-844-OPIA-TIPS for the public to report corruption, financial crime and other illegal activities confidentially.