Tonya Rivera is named to Eatontown Council
February 1, 2019Eatontown resident charged with sexual assault
February 6, 2019charges
FREEHOLD – A New Jersey State Probation Officer was arrested Monday and charged with the sexual assault of a woman he supervised on probation, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Henry C. Cirignano, 48, of Adams Street in Wall Township, is charged with 2 counts of second degree Sexual Assault; one count involves the coercion of his victim and the other count involves his supervisory capacity over his victim as her probation officer.
If convicted of Sexual Assault, Cirignano faces up to 10 years in a New Jersey state prison on each count, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be subject to the provisions of “Megan’s Law” and Parole Supervision for Life requiring a minimum of 15 years of parole supervision following his release from prison.
The investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office culminated with Cirignano’s arrest on Monday. He is currently being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township. He is scheduled for a detention hearing on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.
Anyone with additional information about this crime is urged to contact Detective Michael Acquaviva at 1-800-533-7443. Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400; can text “MONMOUTH” plus their tip to 274637; or, they can email a tip via the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com. Monmouth County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of criminals and fugitives.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fichter.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.