Crime & Safety
Bloomfield Resident Strikes Plea Deal in Child Sex Abuse
Union County Prosecuter will ask for 7-year sentence for man who admitted to trysting with a teen in Parsippany and Hoboken.
The owner of Parsippany's now-closed Ablaze Baseball has pled guilty to having a sexual affair with a 14-year-old girl, officials said this week.
Robert J. Gervasi Jr., 48, of Bloomfield and a former Union County teacher, entered his plea Tuesday before a Superior Court judge in Elizabeth. He pled guilty to one count of second degree sexual assault and two counts of second degree endangering the welfare of a minor.
Union County Assistant Prosecutor David Hummel said his recommendation is seven years in a prison followed by Parole Supervision for life and and will be barred from public employment under Megans Law.
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Judge John Triarsi is scheduled to hand down the sentence March 22.
Gervasi was arrested in Union Township in August 2012 while attempting to meet with a 14-year-old girl, Romankow said. He is reported to have started a sexual relationship wth her earlier that summer.
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Initially he was charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of second-degree luring, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, one count of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.
Authorities said the relationship took place in parks in Union Township, at Gervasi's baseball academy in Parsippany and at a condominium in Hoboken.
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