By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Atlantic County announced that on Monday, December 1, Jose Castro-Vega, 60, of Pleasantville, was sentenced on charges of first-degree aggravated Explicit Contact, second-degree Explicit Contact, and fourth-degree criminal explicit contact following a guilty plea in July.
The Honorable Donna M. Taylor, J.S.C., sentenced Castro-Vega to an aggregate term of 18 years in New Jersey State Prison, Atlantic County officials say.
He must serve every day of the 18 years and is not eligible for parole, ACPO officials stated. On October 27, 2023, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit was contacted regarding an allegation that Castro-Vega was engaging in explicit conduct with a juvenile.
According to Atlantic County officials, the investigation found Castro-Vega had engaged in explicit conduct with at least eight juveniles going back as far as 2021.
He was arrested and charged the following day, on October 28, 2023, Atlantic County authorities said. He has remained detained at the Atlantic County Justice Facility since.
Following a press release, three more juvenile victims were identified, bringing the known total to 11. He was charged with those additional crimes in November 2023, according to Atlantic County officials.
During his plea, ACPO officials say, the defendant acknowledged sexually assaulting seven of the eleven victims and having had inappropriate, explicit contact with four victims.
Following his 18-year sentence, if released, Castro-Vega will be subject to Megan’s Law registration and be placed on Parole Supervision for Life, Atlantic County officials stated.