A Monmouth County grand jury has returned a 12-count indictment charging a Howell man with offenses related to his arrest last year after it was discovered he was allegedly committing lewd acts in public restrooms in view of children, Monmouth County Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.
Gregory S. Rittman, 50, is charged with four counts each of second degree sexual assault, fourth degree lewdness, and third degree endangering the welfare of a child.
Rittman was initially arrested on Oct. 24, 2014, after authorities received a report from an employee at a fast food restaurant in Wall Township describing lewd behavior witnessed by an 8-year-old near the sink in the men’s bathroom of the restaurant on Route 35, according to Gramiccioni.
Two weeks later, Rittman was charged with similar offenses after additional victims were identified, according to the prosecutor.
Rittman has been free since Jan. 9, 2015, after posting full cash bail in the amount of $125,000 with no option to post 10 percent, as set by state Superior Court Judge Ronald Lee Reisner.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Patrolman James Cadigan of the Wall Township Police Department at 732-449-4500, ext. 1162, or Detective Carolina Moreno of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Bureau at 732-431-7160.
If he is convicted of sexual assault, Rittman faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in state prison on each of the second degree charges, and may be subject to the provisions of Megan’s Law upon his release from state prison.
If he is convicted of endangering the welfare of a child, Rittman faces a sentence of five to 10 years in prison. If he is convicted of lewdness, Rittman faces up to 18 months in state prison on each count, according to the prosecutor.