By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Passaic County announced that Cirilo Tello, 54, of Paterson, was sentenced to an aggregate term of 17 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announces that on January 4, 2023, the Paterson Police Department contacted the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit to report that a 10-year-old had explicit contact in Passaic.
Thereafter, members of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit interviewed the victim and several witnesses, according to officials in Passaic County. The victim reported being sexually abused by Mr. Tello on multiple occasions between October 2020 and October 2022 at a residence in Paterson.
Based on the investigation, Mr. Tello was arrested and charged with various offenses against the victim and the victim’s brother, who was present during the assaults, PCPO officials say.
Passaic County authorities said that the Honorable Barbara J. Buono Stanton, J.S.C., presided over a jury trial from November through December 2024.
According to Passaic County officials, on December 2, 2024, a Passaic County petit jury found Mr. Tello guilty of one count of second-degree exokcicit contact, and two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
Passaic County officials stated that on June 27, Judge Buono Stanton sentenced Mr. Tello to an aggregate term of 17 years in the New Jersey State Prison.
Specifically, under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(b), the defendant was sentenced to 9 years in New Jersey State Prison, with the requirement that he serve 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole, pursuant to the No Early Release Act.
This term will run consecutive to the defendant’s sentence on N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(1), for which the defendant was sentenced to eight years in New Jersey State Prison, PCPO officials said.
Upon release from prison, Mr. Tello will be subject to Parole Supervision for Life and Megan’s Law registration, a Passaic County official stated.