Last month, a 27-year-old Wanaque man pleaded not guilty to charges that he took a 13-year-old girl from Rhode Island to New Jersey for sex.
A federal grand jury indicted Daniel Berger on a charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to authorities, Mr. Berger communicated with the girl online. He later picked the girl up at her house in Portsmouth, Rhode Island and drove her to New Jersey.
The incident prompted an Amber Alert to be issued. The following day, police found the girl in Mr. Berger’s home.
In U.S. District Court in Providence, Rhode Island, Mr. Berger pleaded not guilty to the charges. Mr. Berger faces federal charges, but if he faced state charges in New Jersey, N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a would govern the offense. The statute classifies aggravated sexual assault as a first degree felony, punishable by a term of incarceration of between 10 and 20 years in New Jersey State Prison. Additionally, the No Early Release Act (NERA) would apply in New Jersey, meaning that a person convicted of aggravated sexual assault would have to serve at least 85% of his sentence before gaining parole eligibility.
For more information, see the NJ.com article entitled “N.J. Man Charged with Taking Girl, 13, from Rhode Island Pleads Not Guilty.”
