David L. James faces four charges, including a first-degree aggravated sexual assault charge, two counts of second-degree sexual assault and a count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
The NJ.com report describes the case. James was arrested on August 28, following an investigation.
A Specialized Unit Built for These Cases
A Special Victims Unit is referenced in the case, while sensitive juvenile cases can involve both county-level and municipal law-enforcement personnel.
Under New Jersey's Criminal Justice Reform Act, which replaced cash bail with a risk-based system in 2017, prosecutors seeking to keep a defendant locked up must file a pretrial detention motion and prove by clear and convincing evidence, at a Superior Court hearing, that no release conditions could protect the public or guarantee future court appearances, according to Camili & Capo, PA. Any detention decision in the case would be governed by that process.
What James Could Face if Convicted
The first-degree aggravated sexual assault charge alone carries a state prison sentence of 10 to 20 years — or 25 years to life if the victim is under 13 — plus fines of up to $200,000, under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2, according to Mercer County Criminal Lawyer. New Jersey's No Early Release Act would require James to serve at least 85 percent of that sentence before he could become eligible for parole, per the same source.
The two second-degree sexual assault counts and the second-degree child endangerment charge each carry five to 10 years in state prison, with applicable penalties, according to Aiello Harris. A conviction on the first-degree charge or the child endangerment count would also trigger mandatory Megan's Law registration and lifetime monitoring under Parole Supervision for Life, per Chamlin Law.
Recent Local Cases Show a Pattern
James's case follows a similar path taken by other Warren County prosecutions this year. In August, a 39-year-old Phillipsburg man was sentenced in Warren County Superior Court to eight years in state prison after being convicted of second-degree sexual assault by contact and second-degree child endangerment involving a victim under 13, according to WRNJ News. And in March, the article references another case.
Warren County's Phillipsburg has seen other child endangerment cases move through local courts this year, including an earlier Hoodline report on an infant-death homicide case and a separate case. The cases illustrate the kinds of matters local law enforcement handles.
