Crime & Safety
Freehold Man Sexually Assaulted Child For Years, Jury Rules
The child was assaulted from the time she was 4 years old until she was 15, authorities said.
Editor's Note: This article discusses sexual assault. For support resources or to access a 24/7 sexual assault hotline, you can click here.
FREEHOLD BOROUGH, NJ — A Freehold Borough man has been convicted of committing sexual crimes against a child for over a decade, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said.
Following a weeklong trial before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Henry P. Butehorn, Raul Hernandez-Teles, 43, was found guilty by a jury of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, second- and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, Santiago said.
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Hernandez-Teles was convicted following an investigation by Freehold Borough Police, which revealed that he had committed the offenses at various times (often on several occasions weekly), starting in 2008 and lasting for over a decade, from the time the victim was 4 years old until she was 15.
Hernandez-Teles was arrested in November 2024 and indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury in February 2025.
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The trial began on Aug. 18, and following several hours of jury deliberations spread across two days, he was convicted on all counts.
The case was prosecuted by MCPO Assistant Prosecutor Sarah Mielke of the Special Victims Bureau.
Hernandez-Teles was represented by Matthew Mordas, Esq., with an office in Freehold.
Sentencing in the case has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, December 3, at which time Hernandez-Teles will face a lengthy state prison term, subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA) on the two most serious counts, as well as registration as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life, Santiago said.
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