A Camden County jury has convicted 41-year-old Miguel A. Mota on 14 charges tied to the sexual abuse of two children in his household, ending a nearly decade-long abuse case that started when the victims were in early grade school and stretched into the spring of 2020. After a four-week trial, jurors found Mota guilty on multiple counts, including first-degree aggravated sexual assault. He was immediately remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility and is scheduled for sentencing on September 25, 2026.
Investigation and timeline
According to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the case opened in April 2020 after a report of abuse. Detectives later determined that in one instance the abuse took place between November 2010 and April 2020, and in the other between December 2010 and April 2020. Mota was first charged on April 8, 2020, and prosecutors added more counts after a second victim came forward in July 2024. Those details were reported by News 12 New Jersey.
Verdict and charges
Jurors ultimately returned guilty verdicts on 14 counts, including four counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, along with multiple counts of sexual assault, aggravated sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child, terroristic threats and criminal sexual contact, according to WPG Talk Radio. The convictions capped a four-week trial, and Mota was taken into custody immediately after the verdicts were read. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Anna Trenga and Roxanna Garcia, WPG reported.
Victims' testimony and next steps
Both victims took the stand during the trial, recounting abuse that prosecutors say began when one child was about seven years old and the other about five. Mota will stay behind bars at least until his September 25 sentencing date. The investigation was handled by detectives with the Camden County Police Department and the prosecutor’s trial team, according to Daily Voice.
Legal stakes
Under New Jersey law, aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree crime that can mean decades in prison and other long-term consequences, depending on how the sentencing judge applies the statute. State law includes tougher penalties when the victims are children, and those provisions will shape the court’s options at Mota’s September 25 hearing, according to the New Jersey Legislature.
Why this matters locally
The verdict closes a long-running investigation and underscores how long it can take for survivors to report abuse that, in this case, stretches back to 2010. Local coverage in News 12 New Jersey and other outlets has highlighted the work of the Camden County Police Department and the prosecutor’s trial team in building the case. With the conviction secured, attention now shifts to how harsh the sentence will be and how the victims move forward from years of documented abuse.
