Elizabeth, N.J. Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Girl He Was Hired To Care For
ELIZABETH, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- An Elizabeth, New Jersey man stood charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting a young girl he was hired to babysit.
Jonathan Tavara-Nima, 31, was charged with sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Union County Prosecutor's office.
Prosecutors said Tavara-Nima was hired by the victim's family last year through the website Care.com, and was entrusted to care for the girl – who is under the age of 13 – on a regular basis.
Prosecutors alleged the girl was found to have been sexually assaulted multiple times – at locations including the Benedict Motel in Linden, a Union Township home, and in Tavara-Nima's vehicle.
Tavara-Nima also allegedly photographed the girl in sexual poses using his cellphone during the encounters, prosecutors said.
Tavara-Nima was arrested at his home Friday evening and was being held at the Union County Jail, prosecutors said.
Under New Jersey law, a conviction of aggravated sexual assault against a child under 13 results in a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison – with the full term to be served before the possibility of parole, prosecutors noted.
Anyone with information about his alleged activities, or who might have hired him to care for a child, was asked to contact Union County Prosecutors' Office Special Victims Unit Detective Josh Rios at (908) 965-3809, or Sgt. Patricia Gusmano at (908) 965-3877.
