ASBURY PARK – After a week-long trial, an Asbury Park man was found guilty of sexually assaulting two juvenile siblings over several years, officials said.
Walter Orlando Perez-Ramos, 35, was convicted on two counts of second-degree Sexual Assault, two counts of third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and a single count of fourth-degree Criminal Sexual Contact.
On May 3, 2021, members of the Asbury Park Police Department first received information regarding the abuse of the two victims, then ages 16 and 17. Investigation determined that multiple incidents of abuse took place through May 2015 and May 2020. All involved inappropriate touching, police said.
Perez-Ramos was arrested in May 2021 and remained in custody at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) until the trial, at which both victims testified.
“This family repeatedly welcomed the defendant into their home as a trusted friend, and he repaid that trust with betrayal – by robbing the two victims of what should have been a normal, happy, fruitful adolescence,” Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. “They can never get those years back, but thanks to this verdict, we can at least ensure that justice is served and their healing process can begin.”
Sentencing is been scheduled for March 31, 2023, at which time Perez-Ramos will face a term of up to 21 years and six months in state prison, along with registration as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life.
