A two-year investigation led to the arrest Friday of a man accused of sexually assaulting his fiancee's young daughter.
James Ward, 30, of Bellmawr, is accused of sexually assaulting the then-7-year-old when he was left to watch over her in her Brigantine home in 2014, acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton said.
He is charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly committing the crimes "while having legal duty to care for (the) child... while her mother was not home."
Ward is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on $350,000 full cash bail.
The aggravated sexual assault carries 10 to 20 years in prison. A conviction of sexual assault and endangering have sentencing ranges from five to 10 years.
Anyone with information regarding child abuse or exploitation of children in Atlantic County is asked to contact the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit at 609-909-7800.
