The man allegedly responsible for the aggravated sexual assault of an elderly woman in Union last week has been detained pending trial, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Union Police Director Daniel Zieser jointly announced today.
OfficiS say Mr. Richard Darby, 34, of Bronx, New York, is charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree burglary, second-degree sexual assault, and third-degree aggravated sexual contact during the commission of a burglary.
An investigation initiated by the Union Police Department, with assistance from the Special Victims Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office, revealed that in the early morning hours of Monday, July 6th 2020, an elderly victim was sexually assaulted in her Union home and identified Darby as a suspect, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Dillon, who is prosecuting the case.
Criminal charges were filed against Darby on July 6th, however Darby remained at large until the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8th, when members of the Special Victims Unit located him near Manila Avenue in Jersey City. Given the nature of the crime, the Prosecutor’s Office moved to detain Darby in jail pending trial.
Judge Regina Caulfield, P.J.Cr. has now granted that request following a hearing in Superior Court yesterday.
Anyone with further information about Darby’s activities is urged to contact Union Police Det. Michael Theissen 908-851-5030, Special Victims Unit Det. Joanne Son at 908-477-1698, or Sgt. Keyla Live at 908-370-6793.
Convictions on charges of this nature are commonly punishable by 10-20 years in state prison and are subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA).