A Mullica Township man accused of sexually assaulting a teenage Hammonton girl was sentenced to three years in prison this week.
Anthony Perona, 68, pleaded guilty Aug. 2, shortly after a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case, acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Cary Shill said.
The girl was 14 when she went to Hammonton police with her brother and cousin June 11, 2019, to report the assaults, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.
She alleged that the abuse started in the beginning of 2017, and continued until around the end of 2018, including raping her on five occasions.
Perona was watching the victim at her home while her mother was away when the assaults happened, the affidavit states.
The victim came to police after revealing the abuse for the first time to her then-14-year-old boyfriend, according to the affidavit.
When Perona found out about the allegations, he texted the girl to tell her to keep it between them, the affidavit states.
After his trial resulted in a hung jury, Perona admitted to having sex with the girl and pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct, Shill said.
He was sentenced to three years in prison and must register under Megan’s Law.
