After accepting a plea agreement from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, a Fairview man will be sentenced to serve nearly seven years in New Jersey State Prison for sexual assault charges before potentially being deported.
Jose Juarez-Roca, formerly of Guatemala, was originally facing charges for aggravated sexual assault after allegedly sexually victimizing a 9-year-old girl in 2012. Prosecutors offered Juarez-Roca an agreement which would subject him to sexual assault charges in exchange for a guilty plea, which he accepted. As such, he will receive a significantly reduced prison term when sentenced by Superior Court Judge Edward A. Jerejian on April 14th.
Under the New Jersey Criminal Code, aggravated sexual assault, which is governed underN.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a, is a crime of the first degree, and is punishable by a term of imprisonment between 10 and 20 years in New Jersey State Prison. On the other hand, sexual assault, which is codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2b and N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2c, is a crime of the second degree, and is punishable by a term of incarceration ranging from 5 to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Both of these crimes are enumerated under the No Early Release Act (“NERA”), which requires the convicted offender to serve 85% of the sentence imposed before the benefit of parole. Additionally, convictions from both types of offenses also entail the following: community supervision for life, registration as a sex offender under New Jersey’s Megan Law, and a psychosexual evaluation (commonly referred to in court as an “Avenel evaluation”).
Juarez-Roca is a permanent legal U.S. resident but did not obtain American citizenship and as a result, he may be subject to deportation upon the completion of his prison term.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Fairview child molester faces 8 years in prison, deportation
