BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer
The man arrested last week for burglarizing a home on Oaktree Drive in North Brunswick has been charged with two local sexual assaults since 2002.
According to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Bruce Darnell Sterling, 34, of New Brunswick, is responsible for the attacks that occurred on Jan. 18, at the Riverview Apartments in Edison and July 13, 2002, on Richardson Street in New Brunswick.
“Probable cause for these complaints is forensic evidence, namely a DNA match and other investigations conducted by law enforcement,” said Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan.
The complaints for the Edison attack include aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary while armed, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, terroristic threats and criminal restraint.
The complaints for the New Brunswick attack, which involved a Rutgers University student, include the same charges with the addition of aggravated assault.
Sterling was arraigned on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges presented against him. He faces life in prison.
“This came out of the blue,” Robert White, assistant deputy public defender for Middlesex County, said. “I think we have a strong defense. There is a question of liability about how he was identified by the victims of this case. People make mistakes all the time.”
Bail was set at $1,075,000, with an additional $500,000 for the burglary charge from May 27.
“The bail amount is insurmountable to my client,” said White. “I understand the nature of the charges, but I ask for it to be lowered due to the fact that at the present time, there is no way he, or anybody else in this court room, could make that bail,” White said.
Judge James F. Mulvihill set the bail at the full amount with no 10 percent option. In addition, White asked that the cell phone confiscated from Sterling at the time of his arrest be treated properly.
“At present, the active call log may have a considerable impact on the defense of this case. I want to make sure it is not tampered with. There could be potential witnesses for the defense,” he said.
Sterling has been incarcerated at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, since May 27.
Police said on May 27, Sterling approached a resident of Oaktree Drive outside of her home. According to North Brunswick police reports, she said her fiancé was inside and Sterling walked away. About 10 minutes later, the victim’s fiancé heard the side doorknob jiggle and the window screen lift as he was sleeping on the family room recliner. The fiancé yelled at Sterling, who was allegedly attempting to break in, and he ran off.
The police were given a description of the suspect and the direction of travel, and found Sterling. Both victims positively identified him as the burglar, according to a press release from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
“My compliments to the residents of the apartment who pursued Sterling, as well as to North Brunswick police officers Tawana Marshall and Frank Vitelli who, after a search of the area, discovered Sterling hiding behind trees at the apartment complex. I think we’re here today because of [the residents] and the quick reaction of the North Brunswick Police Department,” said Kaplan.
A folding knife was found in Sterling’s pocket upon his arrest, according to the release.
He was charged with burglary while armed, criminal trespass, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a weapon (firearm) by a convicted person.
“The gun was discovered following a court-ordered search of his residence. It has been determined that the weapon discovered in his residence was reported stolen and accordingly a complaint has also been signed today charging Sterling with receiving stolen property,” said Kaplan.
At the time of his arrest, Sterling was employed part-time at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, both in New Brunswick.
“[Working in New Brunswick], he probably treated several people in this town and now he is being charged with heinous crimes,” White said.
Sterling shared an apartment with his girlfriend and their child since the beginning of 2004. Sterling also has another child who lives in New Jersey, according to Kaplan.
Sterling previously had a felony conviction of assault in 1990 out of Somerset County.
There are still 11 other sexual assault cases that are unsolved, including six involving Rutgers students off campus and one at Birchwood Court, North Brunswick, in May 2004.
“I remind everyone that this is an ongoing investigation. Forensic analysis is pending in other unsolved sexual assaults, and investigative efforts continue in our efforts to solve the outstanding sexual assaults,” said Kaplan.
Sterling has been ruled out as a suspect in the attack at Stone Street, New Brunswick, from May 2004.
“Based on the results from the lab, the Stone Street DNA did not match the DNA found at the other two locations. He has not yet been excluded from the other 10,” said Kaplan. “We’re not speculating, not expecting this is the guy, but we’re looking at Sterling because of the descriptions we have been given by the victims. The attacks also happened inside the victim’s homes or right outside.”
The public is encouraged to report any information to the municipal police department at (732) 247-0922 or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit at (732) 745-3600.