NJ Man Sexually Assaulted 9-Year-Old Family Member: Prosecutor

MAYS LANDING, NJ — A Mays Landing man was convicted on charges of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Enmanuel Rodriguez, 34, was charged with aggravated sexual assault of child, sexual assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

On Jan. 1, 2023, a young girl reported to Hamilton police that she had been sexually assaulted by her mother's cousin, who was 20 years older than her, authorities said.

He groomed her online with sexually inappropriate conversations and exchanging explicit photographs, which progressed into him taking her on "dates" and asking her to "be his girlfriend," authorities said. On those "dates," Rodriguez would sexually abuse her, according to officials.

The girl delayed disclosing Rodriguez's sexual abuse because she loved his family and did not want him in trouble, authorities said. She disclosed the abuse two years after it occurred, at age 11.

During the investigation, Rodriguez had an in-person conversation with the victim's mother where he minimized his abuse and while he admitted to sexually assaulting the girl, he did so in a "self-serving way," the prosecutor's office said. However, Rodriguez did apologize to the girl's mother and claimed “he was already seeking help” and “knew he was wrong.”

The now 14-year-old girl testified for hours at Rodriguez's trial. He was convicted on all charges.

Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Aug, 13, 2026, pending an Avenel evaluation. Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum 25 years to life imprisonment pursuant to the Jessica Lunsford Act on the aggravated sexual assault of a child charge alone. He also faces mandatory parole supervision for life and Megan’s law registration.