🚨 MAYS LANDING MAN SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD

⚖️ MAYS LANDING, NJ — A Mays Landing man has been sentenced to 35 years in New Jersey State Prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a minor family member over an extended period, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.

Enmanuel Rodriguez, 34, was sentenced subject to the Jessica Lunsford Act and the No Early Release Act. Following his release, Rodriguez will be required to register under Megan’s Law and remain under parole supervision for life.

According to prosecutors, the victim was just 9 years old when Rodriguez, who was approximately 20 years older than her, began grooming her online through sexually inappropriate conversations and the exchange of explicit photographs.

Authorities said the online contact eventually progressed to Rodriguez taking the child on what he characterized as “dates” and asking her to be his girlfriend. Prosecutors said Rodriguez sexually abused the child during those encounters.

The victim did not immediately disclose the abuse. According to authorities, she waited approximately two years before reporting what happened, telling Hamilton Township police on January 1, 2023, when she was 11 years old.

During the investigation, prosecutors said Rodriguez admitted to sexually assaulting the child during a conversation with her mother, but characterized his admission as self-serving and minimized his conduct. He reportedly apologized to the victim’s mother and said he was seeking help and knew his actions were wrong.

🧑‍⚖️ The victim, now 14 years old, testified for several hours during Rodriguez’s trial.

At sentencing, the court determined that Rodriguez presented a high risk of reoffending and found that he had shown a lack of remorse for the harm caused to the child.

🚨 GSNN NOTE: This case involves allegations and a criminal conviction. The defendant has been sentenced by the court following the judicial process.