A 58-year-old Bordentown City man was sentenced to serve six years in New Jersey state prison for having sexual contact with juvenile males last year, as well as possessing more than 1,000 images of child pornography.
The sentence was handed down to Alan J. Berman, of Lucas Drive, by Judge Gerard H. Breland on May 3. Berman pled guilty in January to one count of endangering the welfare of a child (second degree), and one count of aggravated criminal sexual contact (third degree).
Berman, who was arrested in September, was acquainted with his victims and their families at the time of the offenses. The crimes occurred at Berman’s residence. The names of the victims and other details are being withheld in an effort to protect their identities.
Officials from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office reported that Berman sexually assaulted three boys, gave marijuana to two, showed pornography to one, and gave unrestricted access in his residence to a handgun, ammunition and magazines to five youths. One of the boys claimed that another boy pointed the firearm at him while it was loaded.
“This defendant’s actions were particularly egregious because he pretended to care for the well-being of the boys he abused, when in reality, the only reason he had befriended them was to groom them into becoming victims,” Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said in a statement. “This sentence shields the victims from the additional trauma of having to testify and relive these events and, equally important, protects the public from any further wrongdoing by this defendant.”
Officials said Berman will serve his sentence at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Woodbridge, Middlesex County. The facility, which houses sex offenders, is jointly operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections and the New Jersey Department of Human Services.
Officials reported that he will be assessed for his public safety risk before being released and, when that day comes, he will be subject to parole supervision for life.
The investigation into Berman’s actions began last year after the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit received intelligence from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning his online activities. NCMEC was told by an Arkansas woman that her teenage son was contacted online by a man – later identified as Berman – who was attempting to engage the teen in inappropriate conversations.
The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from the New Jersey State Police Digital Technology Investigations Unit, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill Office, and the Bordentown City Police Department.
Berman was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw. The lead investigator was BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit Detective Kevin Sobotka. The BCPO is a member of the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the New Jersey State Police Cyber Terrorism Task Force.