Freehold Man Pleads Guilty To Sex Assault Of Marlboro 12-Year-Old

FREEHOLD – A Freehold Borough man pleaded guilty Thursday to the 2020 sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl from Marlboro, authorities said.

Elias Juarez Hernandez, 45, of Freehold Borough, pleaded guilty to one count of first degree aggravated sexual assault before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Marc C. LeMieux, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Juarez-Hernandez admitted on Thursday to having sexual intercourse at his home in Freehold Borough with the 12-year-old on Aug. 10, 2020. A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Freehold Borough Police Department found that Juarez-Hernandez approached the 12-year-old girl, who had run away from her residence in Marlboro, outside the 7-Eleven store in Freehold Borough in the early morning hours of August 10 and offered her a ride.

Juarez-Hernandez told the girl that his vehicle was at his home in Freehold Borough, so the two walked back there. When they arrived at the Freehold man’s home, Juarez-Hernandez pushed the juvenile into the basement and sexually assaulted her multiple times throughout the night.

Juarez-Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 20, 2021. Under the terms of a plea agreement reached after consultation with the victim’s family, Juarez-Hernandez faces up to 15 years in a New Jersey state prison without the possibility of parole.

Juarez-Hernandez will also be subject to the requirements of Megan’s Law registration and Parole Supervision for Life upon release from prison.